The Misadventures of Galahad Evenguard
by Forscythe
Summary: A young wizard detective finds himself on a new case. At first it seems like a basic missing person case, but those usually don't involve traveling to another dimension. Oh and there are magic using nobles that hate every fiber in your body for being a magic using commoner. Welcome to Tristain Mr. Evenguard. Enjoy your stay.
1. Chapter 1

Talking

_Thinking_

What even is this? This is when I have a lack of sleep and three hours to burn in between classes. I had a hell of time writing it though.

* * *

Chapter I: A Wizard Goes Down the Rabbit Hole

* * *

The sign on the front of my office read: 'Detective Evenguard: Solutions to Any Problem'

"_I was that I suppose. A detective. I'm only seventeen too. People usually underestimate me until I did a job for them. It was amazing how people change their minds about someone after seeing the kind of success they produce. I WAS an amazing detective after all. That wasn't the entire reason my reputation for solving cases is so good though. I'm also a bit of a prodigy of a wizard. Please don't tell my old master I said that. He'll probably turn me into a frog for being arrogant."_

Predictably, a customer interrupted my inner monologue. _"People need to stop doing that to wizards. We do enjoy a good inner monologue."_

"Yes, may I help you?" I twisted around in my chair and rested my feet on my desk.

"Er yes." a Japanese man spoke to me in broken English. Interesting. He was either newly immigrated to the good old U.S.A. or he came here from Japan just to see little old me, "We were told by a good American friend that you can literally solve any case. My name is Takashi Hiraga."

"Well I'm 100% so far." I popped my feet off the desk and leaned forward on clasped hands, "So what do you need sir? _Let it never be said that Wizards aren't perfect gentleman in speech to people we have somewhat respect for.. I took that lesson from master to heart."_

"My son disappeared a few weeks back." the man began, "Neither us nor the police have been able to find anything."

"_A disappearance case huh. Something supernatural could be involved. Japan always has some weird voodoo going on. Alright! I'm in."_ I nodded before handing the man a form, "Please read over this contract and if you choose to sign it, I'll take on your case."

The man did just that and with a heavy sigh a few minutes later handed over the signed form and my usual upfront payment in the form of a check.

"Alright!" I suddenly stood to my feet, surprising the poor, middle-aged Japanese man, "Galahad Evenguard at your service! (master liked old English novels far too much for his own good) First things first, do you have any of your kid's things?"

"Er yes." the man pulled out a crumpled picture out of his pocket as well as a Nintendo DS. It was good to see this mystery boy had good taste in handhelds. Sadly us wizards tended to fry anything electronic so I was going to have to turn off all my wards and such to get near it. The one downfall of being able to call fire from your fingertips. It was truly a pity.

"This is Saito," the man pointed to a medium height guy around my age in the middle of the photo. He was wearing a blue and white hoodie and jeans. Pretty normal looking guy to be honest, "If I may ask Evenguard-san?"

"Hmmm?" I was committing Saito's face to memory. Odds are Mr. Hiraga probably wouldn't want to give up the picture.

"Are you really seventeen?"

"Last time I checked. Which I did yesterday. One can never be too sure of their age." I rolled the DS around in my hands casting a locater spell under my breath. Interesting. Saito wasn't on this plane anymore. I ran a quick check on the demon plane and that one plane all the dead souls go too. I was never able to remember the name. Nothing was there either. Innnnnntttteresting. It seems dear Saito was well and truly gone from any plane I was familiar with. FINALLY an interesting case. I was sick to death of finding lost dogs. Nothing against dogs. I loved dogs. I was just sick of the same thing over and over.

"Er excuse me." there goes Mr. Hiraga interrupting my inner monologue again. Man needs to take a course in wizard ethics so he can stop interrupting me, "When do you think you'll find Saito?"

"Soon." I began running a checklist through my head, "_I'd better well equip myself before doing anything. I can use a locoportation spell to immediately go to the plane Saito landed himself in, but I've no idea what's waiting me on the other side._ At the very least Mr. Hiraga I can assure you he's alive. Here take this walkie-talkie."

I handed him one of my specially engineered walkie-talkies that ran on magic. Perfect for contacting him from another place with the good news. Provided that this plane didn't have a massive amount of unfamiliar magic that would short it out. What are the odds of that?

"I'll be in contact Mr. Hiraga." I tipped my fedora at him, "Hopefully there will be good news soon."

"Thank you." the Japanese man bowed and left the room.

"Right!" I immediately found my Bag of Holding. Now before you ask, no I didn't NAME it the Bag of Holding. I'm not that nerdy. I found a joke bag based of the DnD bag on the internet and cast a spell of infinite space on it. Okay so maybe I am that nerdy. It comes with the profession in my humble opinion. ANYWAYS. I stuffed the bag with basic healing draughts as well as some other potions for increased stamina, agility, etc. Anything I was going to possibly need in an unknown dimension. Spare clothes weren't going to hurt either. Oh and a bottle of my favorite whiskey.

"Hope Saito won't miss his DS." I set the handheld down on the floor and grabbed my magic stuffed penguin, _"Anything could be used as a magic channeler if properly set up you know. It doesn't have to be a bloody wand. Stupid stereotypes. _It's being used for a good cause. I'm sure he won't mind."

"Oh gods of time and space," I chanted, feeling wind whipping up around me and the DS, "Grant me the power to cross over to another plane so that I can find the owner of this entertainment device."

A green oval opened up before me and I grinned. "_Still got it. And its my favorite color too! Hopefully this is a good omen for the future."_

I grasped my bag tightly, held on to my fedora tightly, and jumped into the unknown. I was still not sure to this day if I should have done that.

* * *

Everything was pure darkness. I gripped my stuffed penguin tightly. While I could channel magic without it, the spell to return home was keyed into it, and I would need months to make a new object if it got destroyed. Suddenly, a bright light shined from under my feet.

"_Finally!" _I pumped a fist, "_I was a bit worried for a moment I'd just dumped myself in some sort of limbo."_

The light brightened, and I found myself floating several hundred feet above a town.

_"Hmmm... looks medieval. I should fit right in if magic is common in this plane and not technology._

I cast featherfall in a hurry, and floated down to the center of the town on a pile of feathers. I touched down next to a fountain, and noticed immediately that I was drawing stares from all the townspeople. I was now aware a spell of chameleon probably would have been a good idea as well. I readied a couple of choice spells in my head, ready to fight off any hostile people if necessary. To my surprise, the people all shrugged, and went back to their everyday jobs. Some of them were muttering something about show-off nobles or something along that line. It wasn't long until I put two and two together.

_"I'm in a dimension where magical people rule by force huh."_ I sighed, _"This is the exact situation the council back home works hard to prevent. Time to get searching for one Saito Hiraga. Uh oh._

The penguin in my hand was now a blackened mess. That wasn't what I was immediately worried about though. I could make another one of those. I was more worried about the next fireball that was heading towards my head. I dodged to the side, and the fire exploded against the cobblestone street with a small boom. I rolled to a kneeling position and saw a group of sketchy looking people wielding some sort of weird stick. It kind of looked like a wand. It looked like I'd drawn a bit more bad attention than I'd originally thought.

"Hey!" I deflected a smaller fireball to the side with a look of annoyance, "What's the big idea?"

They didn't deign to answer, and kept on with the storm of magic. No really. Some of them were shooting lightning bolts at me. I dodged and weaved through the market, hoping to whatever benevolent being that existed that I wouldn't get fried. Eventually I ran smack into what looked like a royal procession. Fudge cakes. Another fireball soared over my head and hit the lead carriage head on, causing screams of terror to fill the crowd. Lovely, I think I interrupted some sort of assassination attempt. I summoned a massive ball of water and promptly dropped it on the carriage before turning to my pursuers.

"Now chasing me is all well and good." I cracked my knuckles, "But blowing up a carriage and scaring innocent people is another matter entirely.

I gathered a huge ball of magical power in my left hand and cast a wind spell that I directed with a sweep of my hand. I slammed my would be murderers into the side of a building once, twice, thrice, before flopping down on the ground, completely out of breath and with half of my magical power gone. Two spells of that magnitude really took it out of a guy. I turned my head to see if everyone behind me was okay. The carriage was burnt, but the people I saw leaving it were soaked but looked fine. Someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"How can I thank you?" a melodious voice filled me ears. I turned to see a beautiful young woman with odd purple hair. It actually looked good. Huh.

"I'm not exactly going to let a carriage burn down to the ground in front of me. I have standards as a wizard unlike those guys." I breathed heavily, "Don't worry about it you don't owe me anything. Unless..."

"Unless?" She cocked her head to the side and kneeled down next to me. "_If this girl's royalty she's not what I expected if the nobles rule the country because they have magic. Then again she could be treating me so well because I have magic."_

"Do you maybe know a guy named Saito Hiraga?" I questioned, "_Geez this is a long-shot."_

"Yes." she nodded, "He's the familiar of my dear friend."

I slapped my forehead, _"Saito Saito Saito. What have you got yourself into. I can't go messing with familial contracts. To make matters worse, even if I could find a loophole, my penguin is borked, so I'll have to craft a new medium to cross planes. That's going to take months."_

I opened my eyes and sighed. The girl was waiting patiently. She waited till I was done with my inner monologue? I wondered briefly if she wanted to be my new best friend.

"Excuse me miss...?"

"Henrietta." I stood to my feet and offered her a hand, which she took primly. Yep she was definitely royalty.

"Right, Miss Henrietta." I pulled her gently to her feet, "Do you think I could meet Saito? You see I've come to bring him home. His father hired me for the job."

"Oh." the noble looked sad, "Louise won't be happy."

"Is that your dear friend you were talking about?" I dropped her hand and wiped off the back of my trousers.

"Yes." She nodded, "Louise summoned Saito as her familiar, and even if she won't admit it she treasures him. Could you come with me to talk for a bit?"

I nodded in reply. The classic familiar master love story. Who was I to come in between them?

"So if you are here to bring Saito back to his world," Henrietta beckoned me inside an inn, where we sat at a nicely crafted oak table, "You aren't a noble then? If so how do you have magic, and such strong magic at that? According to Louise Saito's world has no magic or nobles."

"We keep ourselves secret," I ordered a tankard of ale. Contrary to popular belief, alcohol replenished magic at an absurd rate. It helps wizards, not hinder them, "If Saito knew about magic, the council isn't doing their job."

"Your society sounds fascinating." Henrietta's attention was completely on me. Not used to that. Especially since I'm usually running around in an old, ratty trench-coat with an old t-shirt and jeans on. People tended to see me as a hobo and move on. It was all part of the whole keeping magic secret thing. The less people pay attention to you, the less likely they would see you doing magic.

"It's just a bunch of old men running around trying to give orders," I shrugged, "I'd like to think my job is way more interesting than all their meetings."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a detective." I explained, "I help people with their unsolvable problems for a living. Sometimes using magic, sometimes I just use my brain."

"You're so different from most of the nobles in this country," Henrietta took a sip of her tea, "I have such a hard time convincing my advisers that the commoners aren't so different from them."

"Advisers?" I raised an eyebrow, "_She must be pretty important."_

"Yes." She stirred her tea with a spoon, "I'm the crown princess of Tristain."

Cue jaw dropping.

* * *

**Shrug** this is something I couldn't get out of my head. It remains to be seen if it goes anywhere from here

-Forscythe


	2. Chapter 2

Talking

_Thinking_

It's hard not to not update when so many reviews come in. I'm flattered by eight reviews on a single chapter on a story that just got published. Due to the nature of all the anon reviews, I decided to reply inside the chapter to everyone. Oh lord this is gonna be long.

**Malix2** – Thankies

**Yeza Nairomorf –** Thankies

**Razgriz** – Thankies. I have some pretty long-lasting ideas and about a ten chapter outline that's pretty bare-bones

**Colonial marine –** Thankies.

**PhantomGuardianoftheRepublic ** – Thanks. Hopefully my well of ideas for this story won't exhaust itself. I wrote this story for a twofold reason. One I wanted to write a somewhat loopy wizard that gets into situations a bit above his head, and two... well I won't reveal two. There aren't enough of these types of stories that this is going to become. That's all the hint you lot get.

**Panthour** – I see you found my Familiar of Zero story. Nice to see you again.

**MySadistChibi –** I'm going to make as original a plot as I can from the very end of season one and onwards (since that's where I stuck him in. It'll be obvious in this chapter) I'm probably going to ignore all of season four to start out. I didn't particularly love season four, and I haven't really watched it that many times.

**Guest** - Thanks.

* * *

Chapter II: A Wizard Goes to an Academy

* * *

"You're the crown princess!?" I almost dropped my ale into my soup bowl, "You aren't what I expected at all! I expected some evil tyrannical ruler that used magic to rule with an iron fist."

"Why?" the girl took another sip of tea

"It's what I've come to expect from dimension hopping." I shrugged, "I've dealt with tyrannical magic empires before. They usually threaten to kill common people who dare to talk to them, even if they do know how to do magic."

"So there are other worlds besides here and Saito's?" Henrietta's eyes shone, "How wonderful!"

"_She just ignored my tyrannical magic empire comment. _Countless." I nodded and drained another tankard of ale, "_Ahhhh my magic reserves are finally full. Gotta love that alcohol does that."_

"How do you drink so much alcohol?" a female soldier with short blonde looked at me like I was some sort of crazy person.

"_Well I am a bit crazy. Comes with the profession." _I tried to get a few more drops out of the clay tankard, "My body turns it straight into magic. I can't even get drunk. You sure you're okay with paying for all this Henrietta?"

"Princess Henrietta or Your Highness to you." the soldier rebuked me sternly

"Yeah yeah," I grumbled, "So Your Highness, which I'm only saying so she gets off my back, is it really okay for you to pay for all of this?"

"Yes." the girl giggled a little before nodding, "You did save my life, and I appreciate it greatly."

_"She knows how to lay it on thick doesn't she," _I felt a little bit of heat creeping up into my cheeks, "_Unless she's really this sincere and down to earth. Weird princess. _So! Can you take me to see Saito, or do I need to track him down myself using a tracking spell?"

"I'm heading there to the academy of magic where he and Louise are tomorrow." Henrietta pushed back her chair and wrapped a cloak around her shoulders, "I'd be delighted if you would join us at the royal home here and then travel with us tomorrow."

"I would..." I saw the blonde haired woman glaring at me, and grinned "Be delighted as well Princess."

On our way out, the soldier gave me an even more severe glare. I responded by grinning cheekily

* * *

It wasn't hard to tell which building was the Princess' local home. It was a massive, beautiful construct made of some very pretty looking wood. Smelled a bit like oak. It sort of looked like some of the houses back home in the U.S.A. that were around during the colonial age. Places like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson's homes.

"SO!" I stopped in front of the house's ornate gate, "Which of the 100 rooms is mine?"

the frustrating princess just took it in stride. No glares or laughs. I must be losing my touch. She just smiled gently and replied, "Agnes will lead you to your room Mr. Galahad."

_"That girl is going to be one hell of a diplomat." _I followed Agnes through the winding halls of the house, _"She doesn't let a damn thing faze her."_

"Here is your room Mr. Evenguard." Agnes gritted out, "Please enjoy your stay. Breakfast will be served at 7 a.m. or so."

"Thank you ma'am." I did a mock bow and waggled my eyebrows suggestively, "How may I thank you properly?"

Agnes' fist slammed into the door I managed to shut behind me just in time. I cackled evilly and flopped down on my bed, hearing a frustrated scream as Agnes stomped off away from the door, _"Maybe I still got it after all. Henrietta's just exceptionally patient."_

I leaned over to where I'd let my bag drop and rummaged around in it. After a short time, I pulled out a stuffed bat plush.

"Time to get to work now rather than later," I sighed tiredly, "I hate doing unnecessary magic work. Stupid thugs burning my penguin to ash."

* * *

I woke up with my face smudged in chalk and my arm crushing a small penguin. I cursed sleepily and grabbed my fedora and coat. The sun looked like it was just rising, so I was probably going to be somewhat early for breakfast. Oh well. I brushed the chalk off my face and stumbled out the door.

To my surprise, Henrietta was already there, sipping something lemony smelling and steaming from a mug. It was probably some sort of tea. It smelled delicious once I took another whiff. I wondered briefly if she would share. I was a bit partial to tea.

Henrietta smiled at me and called for a maid to bring me some food. I wasn't at all surprised to see crepes and some sort of peanut spread by the smell and color. I was already fairly certain that this country at least was related to France. I took the platter with a bow of my head and a smile. The maid curtseyed and went off to do something else. Probably to clean dishes judging by the soapy smell coming from her hands.

I grabbed the fancy silver knife and spread the peanut spread and some jelly on my crepe. I wrapped it up and bit into it. Ahhhh... Crepes were the single greatest thing the French created. I hadn't had one of these babies in years. The last time was when my master took me to that french speaking plane of one-eyed people. These were much better tasting due to sitting with a two-eyed beautiful princess, "_One-eyed people are a little unnerving."_

"Is that good?" the princess put her hand over her mouth and laughed softly. I was apparently showing my great appreciation of crepes with my facial expressions. At least that was what I assumed. I was never all that great at hiding emotions or lying. Wizards sucked at that. Of course that was probably because wizards are forbidden to lie. I... sometimes was forced to bend the rules a tiny bit to work my business, but that really wasn't the worst rule I'd broken as a wizard.

"_Wizards are above all else adaptable,"_ I repeated the most important code from my lessons in my head, shaking it vigorously, drawing a curious look from Henrietta, _"Some rules are meant to be bent and even broken to save a life."_

"Are you okay Mr. Galahad?" the princess was still looking at me.

"Should you really be calling me Mr.?" I raised an eyebrow, "You're the royalty here. I probably shouldn't even be sitting at the same table as you according to your customs."

"Hmm..."she put a finger on her chin, "Maybe. I'm sure my advisers would be begging me to do just that if they were here. They aren't though, so I'm going to do what I want."

I snorted and ended up choking momentarily on some half chewn crepe. It was good to see she didn't take her job too seriously. I was sick of dealing with the fuddy duddies in the council back home when it came to people in high power.

"You're sure you're the princess?" I teased.

"Her Highness' heritage isn't in question." Oh hello Agnes. Please try not to sneak upon me, "How long were you two down here alone!? He could have killed you at any time Princess!"

"Relax Agnes." Henrietta rested her hands in her lap, "I'm fully confident that Mr. Galahad will not be killing me now or ever. Besides we weren't alone, there were several maids here a few minutes ago. Please sit and have some breakfast before we head on our way to the academy. We'll be traveling a bit more incognito, so I'll need to go get a cloak to disguise myself with. Please excuse me."

"_Way to leave me with Agnes." _I sighed, _"Is she trying to get us to get along or something? Either that or she wants me to get choked to death."_

* * *

The carriage was very dark. The driver had pulled the curtains over the windows to prevent anyone from seeing us inside.

"So why didn't you do this at first?" I asked, "It was obvious some sort of royalty was in that procession earlier.

"I was going to switch to this once we got to my family home." Henrietta replied from underneath the hood of the cloak she had wrapped around her body, "We got attacked before there was a chance to arrive."

Seemed reasonable enough. I nodded and leaned back into the squishy seats of the carriage, "_People don't make chairs plush enough anymore on 5__th__ Earth."_

For those that don't know, Earth as you would know it is the 5th time a planet in a plane that has been named Earth. Planet namers got lazy after a few hundred dimensions. Anyways on with the story.

After what felt like hours, and actually was hours, the carriage stopped, and we quietly stepped out of the carriage. It was already nighttime, and pretty late judging by the position of the two moons. I loved it when planets in planes had multiple moons. Henrietta informed me that she and I were going to use a levitation spell to lift up into Louise's room so that she could talk to her dear friend and so I could do whatever I needed to do with Saito. The whole situation smelled of something really important, and my detective senses were tingling. Hopefully the information would be as juicy as it sounded, not that I would ever use it against someone who was rapidly becoming a weirdly quick friend. Speaking of detective stuff, I needed to call up Mr. Hiraga as soon as I got the chance. I decided I'd let Saito do it.

Henrietta waved her wand and muttered some words, and I felt myself slowly lifting of the ground and up towards a window in one of the academy's five towers that branched out from the main massive building.

"_If I had to guess, they're mostly dormitories like this one appears to be." _I mused, looking inside some of the other windows to see sleeping people around my age.

We levitated up to almost the top floor, and Henrietta gently pushed in the window, which was luckily unlocked. She then did a few gestures with her wand, and we both landed on the floor gently.

"Nice spell work Princess," I said, "No sense of vertigo, and we went straight up without any bobbing or swaying."

"uh uh uh." I looked to the middle of the room to see a very petite girl with pink hair stuttering and looking at us like we were ghosts, "_All right. Is strange hair color on girls going to be a thing on this plane?"_

"Princess!?" the pink-haired girl rushed forward, almost knocking me down in her wake, "W-what are you doing here!? Especially so late! And... who is this man with you!?"

"So many questions," I did a jaunty little bow, taking note of the Japanese teen standing near the back of the room _" Must be Saito. _Detective Galahad Evenguard at your service. I'm here to talk to Saito Hiraga, but I believe the princess has words for you first."

"Princess?"

"Louise." Henrietta took Louise's hands into her own, "I have a very important favor to ask of you. It needs to be carried out immediately and secretly if you accept."

"Anything princess."

"Please Louise." Henrietta dropped the girl's hands and moved to sit on the bed, "When we're in private won't you call me by my first name? We are the best of friends after all."

"Princess you know I can't." the girl replied stubbornly.

"Yes... I know." Henrietta sighed, and smiled gently, "You wouldn't be you if you did. Now, onto the favor I wish to ask of you. You do not know this, but I have decided to marry into Germania."

_"A classic arranged marriage for protection or peace,"_ I mused, "_This world is as medieval as it looked."_

"What!? But why Princess?" Louise appeared to be outraged, "Germania is a stuck-up savage country!?"

_"Oh there we go." _I shook in silent laughter, "_There's one of the nobles I expected. She's the stuck-up one from the sounds of it."_

"It... can't be helped," poor girl sounded as depressed as Louise was angry, "I need the marriage to solidify ties between us and Germania to ensure their protection." My detective senses were tingling again, _"I wonder if she's depressed over something more than being forced to marry a stranger."_

"Ah so it's one of those political marriages." Saito stuck up a finger, "_Good to see Mr. Hiraga's son has a brain on him."_

Louise shut him up rather rudely, and Henrietta continued.

"I'm the princess of Tristain." she sighed and looked down at her feet, "And...I won't hesitate to do what I need to do to protect the citizens of this country. Even if it means to sacrifice my happiness to marry a stranger."

_"Okay she definitely has someone she's in love with. I'll bet my left toe that's what this favor involves."_

Henrietta rose to her feet and walked back towards the window, "I need you to recover an item for me Louis Francoise."

"An item?" Louise tilted her head to the side cutely, "_I'll give her that much. She may be rude, but she does a good job of looking innocent and cute."_

"Yes. A letter a sent to Prince Wales of Albion. If someone of importance reads it, the marriage could be lost." Henrietta replied, _"CALLED IT! She sent a love letter of some kind and she needs it destroyed."_

"What kind of letter could-" Saito (?) started, but was immediately cut off by a kick to the shin. His master had him whipped already apparently. She was a violent one.

"I...have no else I can trust to ask." Henrietta began to shake, and my sharper than normal ears barely heard a few drops of water splashing on the floor every few seconds, "I-I am sorry to ask this of my very best friend, but I have no one else to turn to."

The door suddenly creaked. Both Saito and I whipped our head around, and I immediately released my speed enhancement runes and dashed for the door, not entirely sure why I was being so protective of the Princess' and now Louise's and Saito's secret. "_I must be going crazy in my elevated age. It happens to wizards quite frequently."_

I bowled over a blonde haired man with a slightly unbuttoned ruffled shirt and the same kind of cloak Louise was wearing. I pinned him to the ground and gave him my best wizardly glare I could muster.

"Wait wait wait good sir!" the man stammered, "Do not harm me, I only wished to offer my assistance in the matter after hearing the Princess' unfortunate plight. I would never harm a hair on her highness's head!"

I looked back at Henrietta, and she gave me a quick nod to let the guy up. The man, which I learned was named Guiche did indeed offer his assistance, to which Louise and Saito protested heavily. I wondered why briefly, then thought about all the archetypes of personalities I had encountered over the years, "_Yeah I can see why you might dislike him. Players aren't all bad though, usually they're pretty decent guys if you can get them to correct some of their less noble behaviors._"

Henrietta agreed to let him help, and bid us all a good night before floating out the window. Louise promptly ordered Saito to wash her clothes the moment Henrietta's cloak vanished from view. The girl herself then left the room followed by Guiche.

"Wait a second." I was left all alone in the room, "They forgot about me!?"

-Forscythe


	3. Chapter 3

Talking

_Thinking_

I can't believe thinking of titles has become a problem already. You'd think that would be my easiest task. Thanks to all the reviewer people. It brightens ones day to receive nice/critical comments about the story one is writing. To ChaosxPaladin, another wonderful AU writer in the Zero no Tsukaima archive, I will keep your suggestion in mind.

I don't own this series. That much is obvious.

* * *

Chapter III: A Wizard Goes to Socialize

* * *

I stood there with my mouth probably hanging open, "_Everyone seriously just ditched me! People do NOT just leave when I have business with me. Maybe I'm too used to everyone I talk to having business for me. I need friends and not just customers to talk too. Welp. Might as well go find Saito. He'd probably appreciate knowing that I'm here to bring him back._"

With that thought in mind, I walked out of the dorm room and headed out into the dim hallway. Come to think of it, I don't really know where Saito is. Time to make use of my locator spell again.

I pulled stuck my hand into my bag and pulled out the DS. I muttered some words, and felt a tingling sensation in the back of my head. I then just simply KNEW where Saito was. Well where he was in general. I tried not to question the specifics of how wizard magic worked. It led to problems. You only really needed to know how they generally worked after all.

"_Oh screw this walking business."_ I ran back into Louise's room and hopped out the window, "_featherfall!"_

I floated down right behind Saito, who was talking with a maid with dark hair. She was very good looking too, "_Are any girls in this plane not attractive?"_

I shrugged and tapped Saito on the shoulder once the girl had left a few seconds later. He jumped but immediately relaxed when he saw my somewhat familiar face.

"Galahad right?" Saito's face turned slightly red, "Sorry I know you wanted to talk to me, but Louise was very insistent I get washing her clothes and I kinda forgot."

"She's definitely got you whipped," I mused, drawing a protest from the Japanese teen, "But anyways. I came to tell you I'm bringing you home."

"WHAT!?" Saito shouted

"You heard me." I raised an eyebrow, "I'm from America Saito. I'm a detective your father hired to come find you. Luckily for him he hired a magic detective that can cross planes."

"So when are we leaving?" Saito replied

"Uh..." I was confused. Very confused, "No argument? You'll just come right along with me when I prep the transport? The familial contract hasn't brainwashed you into refusing to leave?"

"Er no." Saito went back to washing what looked like panties, "I was planning on taking a way home if I could find one. I have friends here, but I don't belong in this world regardless. Besides..."

"Besides...?" I didn't like the look slowly growing on Saito's face.

"You can just bring me back," A shit-eating grin formed on his face and he patted me on the back.

"Er no I won't."

"You won't?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I barely know you. As soon as I hand you in to your father I don't plan on ever talking to you again."

"Ouch." Saito went back to washing a pair of panties

"Nothing against you," I leaned up against the wall, "I just don't plan on visiting Japan for a guy I barely know."

"Right." Saito sounded a bit sad now.

"Having second thoughts about leaving now that you don't have free passage?" I asked

"Maybe." Saito sighed and leaned back on his hands, "I don't know who I'll miss more. The people I've come to know here or my family and friends back home."

"I know the feeling." I sat down next to him, "I was pretty torn up over leaving my five legged dog behind on 7th Earth."

"Pfffff." Saito began laughing, "Hahahahaha. Thanks for that. I don't need to be heading to bed with depressing thoughts. I'll end up waking up Louise with nightmares of something."

"Its gotta suck having an ass of a master like that." I replied, "It looked like she almost broke your shin earlier."

"Yeah she almost did." Saito rubbed his shin and looked up at the sky, "She's not so bad once you get to know her though. I wouldn't make your impressions on her until you hang around her for a bit."

"Uh huh." I wasn't convinced.

"Really." Saito almost looked angry now. It was almost like... Oh man now I know why he doesn't want to leave. Classic.

"You a masochist or something?" I scooted away from him just as his fist planted itself where I had been sitting moment before.

"WHAT NO!" I laughed in response and rolled around on the grassy ground in stitches.

"Geez." Saito grumbled and picked up the basket of clothes, "I'm going to bed. You can sleep on the grass for all I care."

"Wait up." I called out to him as he was about to leave, "I've got something to give you."

"What is it?" Saito dropped the basket and turned to face me.

"Here." I pulled a mirror out of my bag, "I want you to take this magic mirror."

"What's it do?"

"It'll let you call me anytime." I replied, "So I can inform you when I've got the transportation ready if you want to go back. I'd hate to lose my 100% job record, but I can't force you to return. Also, since my client does want you safe, if you ever run into trouble don't hesitate to give me a ring."

"Thanks." Saito nodded his head, "I'll make sure to keep it with me."

"See that you do." I fixed him with a serious look, "I'd hate to ship you back to your father in pieces."

"R-right." Saito did a quick little wave and stumbled up the steps with the loaded laundry baskey. Lord is he whipped.

* * *

Thump thump thump. What horrible person was whacking on the tree I chose to sleep in?

I cracked my eyes open and saw a rather infuriated looking middle-aged woman. I could only assume she was a teacher of some kind here at the academy. Not sure why sleeping in a tree would piss her off.

"What." I looked down at her with a raised eybrow, "I was trying to sleep.

"It is highly improper for a noble such as yourself to be sleeping in a tree!"

My eyebrow raised even further, "First off, I'm not a noble. What gave you that idea?"

"I saw you floating down from Miss Valliere's room last night." the woman replied

"Well for the record, I'm not a noble. Secondly, even if I WAS a noble, where I sleep in my own damn business." I grumbled and hopped down from the tree, "But I'm up now, so I guess I'll stop interfering with you natural sense of order. Which speaking of, what kind of wizards like order? Order is BORING. If I had to be orderly and conform my entire life I'd go bloody bonkers."

"I uh..." the woman stared at me.

"Ay yi yi." I shook my head, "Do you know where I can find Saito Hiraga?"

"Who?"

"Nevermind." I sighed, _"Its doubtful they even keep track of the familiars._ Can you just tell me where Louise Valliere is?"

"She left a few hours ago with Viscount Wardes." the woman sniffed at me, "What do you need with Ms. Valliere?"

I looked up at the sky. Huh. The sun was already overhead.

"_Must be around noon. Didn't think Louise and Saito were going to leave on that mission from the Princess so fast. Damn! I could've slept longer. Well thinking back, Henrietta did say she was going to explain the situation to the headmaster. Maybe he's got something for me to do. I'm gonna be hella bored until this stupid plushie saturates long enough in its magic to be useful as a portal medium."_

"Excuse me!" the woman was turning a really unattractive shade of red, "Commoners like you do not ignore nobles like me!"

"Put a sock in it." I muttered a spell under my breath and flung a clod of mud over her mouth that was enchanted to stick there, "See ya later noble lady~"

Chuckling slightly at her grunts of fury, I headed to the massive structure in the middle of the academy, hoping I would find the headmaster there.

* * *

"So what the Princess told me is that you are from another world like Mr. Hiraga," the old headmaster puffed out a ring of smoke from his pipe. I was so glad to meet a Wizard that actually grew out a beard and smoked an old looking wooden pipe. That's the one stereotype I was glad was true back home. I didn't personally like doing either of those things, but it was nice seeing something familiar.

"That would be correct sir." I had a higher level of respect for this guy. He definitely didn't seem stuck up, "Came here to bring Saito home."

"Yes, the Princess informed me of such matters." the old man leaned back in his chair, "She told me you were likely to be bored for quite a time until your mode of transport is ready."

"Yup." I nodded, "I made sure to tell her that. A wizard without anything to occupy his mind tends to find trouble. I know from experience."

"Hmmm yes." the old man was now sporting a barely noticable grin, "Such things like plastering Professor Bellaire's mouth shut this morning?"

"That already reached you?" I raised an eyebrow, "Wow she gets her complaints out fast. For the record she was asking for it."

"No doubt..." the man stroked his beard, "Please do refrain from doing anything else to the faculty in the future. Its not good for my health to have a middle-aged woman screaming at me so early in the day."

"Yes sir." I grinned. The man was REALLY starting to remind of the more friendly older men in the order back home. "_Good to see someone around here besides the Princess that doesn't want to tear my head off right away."_

"As for what you can do." the old man rose to his feet, "I believe Professor Colbert has some pet technology project he's working on. Perhaps you could lend your otherworldly expertise?"

"As long as it doesn't have anything electronic in it I'd be glad to help." I stood to my feet as well, "Where is he?"

"In the small work-shed in the western corner of the academy grounds. Tell him I sent you."

"Okie-dokie." I tipped my hat and jumped out the window, startling several students below me.

* * *

The shed was as small as the headmaster made it out to be. I knocked loudly, grinning at the occasional sound of an explosion coming from inside.

"_Please be a mad scientist wizard, please be a mad scientist wizard."_ I groaned audibly as an average looking man with glasses answered the door, _"Awwwwwww."_

The man coughed and wiped some ash off the front of his rumpled robes, "Can I help you?"

"Ah." I tipped my hat, "Galahad Evenguard at your service. Headmaster Osmond sent me to help you study whatever it is that was exploding a couple seconds ago. I'm from Saito's world you see, and he thought I might be able to offer help."

"Mr. Hiraga's world!?" the man's eyes lit up, "How on earth did you get here!?"

"Just a simple transportation spell to cross planes." I replied, "Most wizards with any sort of decent magic power can do it back home."

"Fascinating..." the man stroked his chin, "Wait did you say a wizard? Mr. Hiraga informed me that magic didn't exist back in his world."

"We stay very secret." I said, "We don't like involving ourselves in the bigger affairs of humanity. Magic is really scarce back home, only around five percent or so of the population ever has the potential to manifest it."

"Do you think you could tell me more?" Colbert was getting very excited.

"Er sure."

Colbert prodded me for questions for hours. By the time he finished, it was already getting dark outside. Rather generously, the man offered me the spare bed in his work space, which I accepted immediately. Tree branches were great and all, but couldn't compare to the feather beds they had here. Unfortunately, I didn't get much time to rest. The mirror was already ringing. Saito was calling.

"Whattttttt..." I groaned sleepily, "I was trying to sleep man."

"Yes well." Saito dodged... a giant rocky fist? Oh Phillius' flaming left buttcheek he got himself into a fight with a golem, "This entire mission has gone completely downhill!"

"I can see that." I replied, "Dodge."

"Huh?" Saito got smacked to the side by the other fist. "Yeow!"

"I did tell you to dodge." I put my head in one hand and lounged on my side.

"Not. Helping."

"Right. You could probably use some help." I rubbed my forehead, "Be there as fast as I can."

I shoved the mirror back in my bag and threw it over my shoulder. Time to go bag me a golem.

* * *

Yeah school has been kicking my ass sideways. I didn't even get inspiration till this weekend.

-Forscythe


	4. Chapter 4

Talking

_Thinking_

Wow thanks to the one chap who left a review for every chapter I've posted. My hat is off to you as well as all the fine people who favorited and alerted. Oh and this chapter is the start of the normal time-line dieing out. On one last note, every single archive should have an OC option for character. It'd be really nice

* * *

Chapter IV: A Wizard Goes to Battle

* * *

"Next chance I get I'm creating a device just to track Saito." I grumbled and grabbed around in my bag until I came across what I was looking for.

"Ah!" I pulled out my prize magical broom. Oh what!? I can tell you're looking at me reader. Yes I enchanted a broom to fly, and yes its a stereotype associated mostly with witches. I don't care. I do what I want.

"Alright..." I cast the usual locator spell, "Looks like Saito's to the south. Yip Yip!"

I watch far too much of Avatar: The Last Airbender for my own good alright? The call for Appa to fly was too good to pass up to key into my broom.

I took off like a bullet, and the wind began blowing in my face immediately, making it hard to see. Muttering a small curse, I quickly cast a small barrier spell over the front of my face and sighed in content when the wind stopped. Advantages of being a Wizard that primarily focused on elemental spells and barriers. Making a tiny barrier around my face barely stressed me out at all. I'd been flying for about half and hour when Saito's location began rapidly moving east.

"Bugger." I pulled the broom to the left, "Either he got captured or he won. Maybe being Louise's familiar granted him some sort of power and he managed to pull it out."

Regardless, I was getting a bit worried so I dipped my body to be as trim with the broom as possible and pushed the broom to the fastest speed I could. Saito seemed like a decent guy, so I'd feel guilty if he got hurt on my watch, regardless of him being my current job.

* * *

"_Is that a dragon?" _I squinted at the horizon, "_Sort of looks like it. I think I can see the academy uniform on some of the riders. Guess Saito got rescued after all. Better check to make sure."_

"Yo Saito, Guiche!" I pulled up next to the dragon and matched its speed, "You doing okay?"

"Y-yeah." the Japanese teen and the playboy stared back at me, obviously not used to the sight of someone actually flying on a broom for some reason. Maybe it was because it was me. People around here need to get used to non nobles using magic before the stares drive me nuts.

"Well well well," A rather curvy red-haired girl looked at me from underneath her bangs, "Who is this fine man Saito? He may dress rattily, but he's not bad-looking. My name is Kirche the Ardent~"

"Ahem." I dipped my hat and tried to not let any heat creep into my cheeks, "_Down teenage hormones. DOWN. _Galahad Evenguard, pleased to meet you. I'm a mage sent here from Saito's world to find him and bring him home."

"Reallly?" the red-haired girl pouted at me, "You're here to take my darling away? Are you sure we can't work out a compromise~"

"P-positive. Moving away from your rather obvious attempts at seduction, where's Louise?" I couldn't seem to find the small pink-haired girl anywhere on the dragon, ignoring the affronted huff from the tan, red-haired girl

"She was unknowingly kidnapped," Saito spat out, his eyebrows furrowing together in rage "By Viscount Wardes."

"Oh boy," I sighed and facepalmed, "So what's this joker's crazy plan to rule the world?"

"Er nothing that I know of." I could almost see the anime sweatdrop on Saito's head. Almost.

"Saito my boy." I said in my best old man voice, "People like these always have crazy plans to rule the world. Tell me, does Louise has some sort of power Wardes can use?"

"Look." the blue haired girl at the head of the dragon pointed ahead, interrupting any sort of reply Saito might have had.

I turned my head to look at what the thin girl was pointing at and whistled. There was an entire floating continent appearing over the horizon. Not bad for this plane.

"What's that," I couldn't help my curiosity.

"The floating continent of Albion." Kirche replied, "It was darling's and the Zero's destination, and where Guiche's familiar tracked that hunk of a Viscount to."

"Should you really be getting attracted to someone who sounds kinda evil." I stared down at the woman who practically had hearts in her eyes.

"Love knows no limitations!" Kirche replied, "I will seduce him back to the side of good if I have to! Though I will admit that him being evil has put a bit of a damper on things. It puts darling back to number one on my list~"

"R-right." I shook my head, "_What a weird girl."_

As it turned out the plan was to follow Guiche's mole underground until it found the jewel that was apparently on Louise's person. Kirche, and the girl I learned was named Tabitha would wait for the signal and then come rescue us on Tabitha's wind dragon Sylphid. I loved this plan because it involved digging underground on a floating island. This was already becoming quite the adventure. I did love a good adventure. After about and hour or so of digging, the mole finally decided to dig upwards, to cries of relief from Guiche. Saito and I just looked at each other and sighed. You'd think an earth mage would be at home underground.

"Well well well." a cool female voice greeted us from behind as we climbed out of the hole, "What do we have here?"

I threw up a barrier immediately around the group, already feeling my energy bleeding off a tad faster than I'd wanted.

"_I gotta learn to throw out barriers a bit more efficiently,_ Who's the lady with green hair?" I asked.

"Fouquet." Saito quickly replied, "She's the one with the golem from earlier."

"_Oh man I get to fight a golem after all! _Go rescue Louise Saito. Me and Guiche can handle this."

"We can!?" Guiche looked at me in terror. Oh grow some balls man.

"Yes. We. Can." I pushed Saito towards the door, "Now go!"

"Right." Saito took off, "Thanks Galahad!"

"Don't mention it," I rolled up my sleeves, "Alright golem lady, let's dance."

"Very well." the woman muttered some thing under her breath, and the very ground rose under her. A titan made of earth suddenly began to rise above our heads. Wasn't expecting it to be that big I must say. The bigger they are the harder they fall I suppose.

"So what can you do?" I turned to look at Guiche

"I can make golems of bronze." Guiche looked somewhat proud.

"What are you so scared for then?" I slapped the front of my face

Guiche wordlessly summoned one of his golems with a flourish or his wand that looked like a rose. I actually liked the guy a bit more now. His wand wasn't conventional at least. Oh. I see now why he was scared. His golem barely came up to Fouquet golem's knees. Which speaking of the golem, it was getting bigger by the second.

"Right." I cracked my knuckles, "_He'll probably just get in the way. _On second thought you go in and help Saito out."

"Much obliged good sir!" Guiche immediately took off behind me.

I gathered fire into my hands and shot it into the air, hoping the resulting explosion would be able to draw Tabitha and Kirche to our location.

Whack. Oh right the golem. Pain. Ow. Ow.

Luckily I had my wards up. That doesn't stop me from feeling the immense drain from my magic when a half-ton fist smashes into the wards. I flew sideways and crashed through one of the church's stain glass windows, landing on top of a man with a gray beard who seemed rather pissed I'd interrupted whatever it was he was doing.

"Sup Saito?" I groaned out, seeing him out of the corner of my eye. "Sorry about that. Alright you golem I'm coming for you now! That was a cheap shot you bitch!"

I stomped out the window, ignoring the looks of disbelief from the onlookers in the church.

"Oh great disciple of water," I chanted, forming several blades of water, "Lend me your strength, TWENTY BLADES OF WATER!"

Using my newly crafted spell, I proceeded to turn the golem's left arm into Swiss cheese. Unfortunately just as soon as I cut it down, the golem simply bent down and pulled a new arm out of the ground. Lovely a self regenerating golem. Time to get really serious.

I released my speed seals, activated a basic spell my master had created from watching far too much Naruto with me, and proceeded to run straight up the golems arm, to the surprise of Fouquet if the noises she was making were anything to go by.

"Oh great disciple of water," I chanted and jumped onto the torso of the golem, "Lend me your strength, WATER RAGNAROK!"

I held out my hand and let a massive blade of water form on it

"HYAAHHHH" I chopped the golem cleanly in half and leaped up to grab Fouquet by the front of her cloak. The woman grimaced and muttered another spell under her breath. A pillar of earth smashed into my chest, forcing me to let go of her cloak or risk having my rib cage crushed. My wards blocked the majority of the damage, but I still coughed up a little blood once I landed on the ground hard.

"Come Matilda!" the gray bearded man from earlier swiftly walked past me, "The jig is up, and I'd prefer for both of us to be out of prison for the upcoming war."

"Yes Wardes." Fouqet/Matilda replied and they both took off on a griffon before I could stop them. Great start here on this plane. Getting my ass handed to me.

I rolled over on my back. I sniffed. Was that smoke? My eyes widened, and I turned to see the entire church up in flames. Uh-oh.

"Oh great torrent existing only in the seas," I ran while casting, not an easy feat, "Bend to my call, WATER BOMB"

Seemingly out of nowhere, an enormous ball of water appeared over my head, which I sent crashing down on the flaming church, immediately putting out the fire. Unfortunately it also sent the occupants flying. Muttering a quick levitation spell, I gently lifted Saito, Louise, Guiche, and a mysterious blonde-haired man to the ground.

"So." I coughed up some more blood, much to the concern of the blonde-haired man, "Mission accomplished?"

"Did you see where Wardes went!?" Saito's face was contorted in rage.

"No sorry," I winced at the feeling in my chest now that the adrenalin was wearing off. Definitely cracked ribs, "He and Fouquet took off a griffon. They were talking about some war. Know anything like that?"

"There aren't any wars going on at the moment." the blonde-haired man stroked his chin thoughtfully, before muttering a spell under his breath and holding a glowing wand up to my chest. Oh that feels nice. Keep doing that. "Though relations between Albion and Tristain are quite tense right now."

"Ah. Thanks...?"

"Wales. Prince Wales Tudor of Albion, though I fear I may not be a prince much longer."

"Enlighten me," I replied, "I happen to think I have a sharp mind, as do my past customers."

"Customers?"

"I'm a magic detective," I tipped my soggy hat, "Galahad Evenguard at your service."

"Right." Wales sighed, "If I may, can I explain on the way to Tristain?"

"Right." I looked up to see Kirche and Tabitha slowly descending atop Sylphid, "So who's riding with me on my broom? I don't think the dragon can take us all."

"Sylphid is strong." Tabitha softly replied, "You can ride your broom if you want."

"Well color me impressed." I pulled my broom out of my bag as well as a bundle of gauze, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Wales I then proceeded to shrug off my shirt and my coat, ignoring the wolf whistle from Kirche. I unrolled the gauze and began to wrap it tightly around my torso to support my cracked ribs from doing anything I didn't want them to.

"Do you carry those bandages everywhere?" I heard actual concern in Kirche's voice as she saw the numerous scares now that I was bare to the world

"Hazards of the job." I replied tiredly, before stowing my broom, "On second thought can I ride on Sylphid? I'm probably going to pass out soon. Word of advice, don't try to block a golem's fist with your body and some flimsy wards."

Darkness overtook me swiftly.

* * *

I awoke to Henrietta of all people smiling down at me gently.

"Ughhh." I felt a magic hangover coming on. I really pushed it taking all those hits from Matilda's golem didn't I?

"Please don't try to move." Henrietta took one of my hands in hers and clasped it gently, "Your vitals have been fluctuating all over the place for the last few hours."

"If I woke up I'm fine," I sat up despite her protests, "So what did I do to deserve the Princess of Tristain taking care of me personally?"

"You saved my dear friends, and the man who I love." for some reason the last one stung a bit, "I have every reason to be thankful towards you."

"R-right." I rubbed my chest, wincing. Yup, ribs still cracked.

"I'm serious," the princess pouted angrily, "Is a girl not allowed to take care of the man who has done so much for her since coming to this world?"

"I got it I got it." I grinned and laid back down in the bed, propping up my head with pillows, "But you know, if you want to go spend some time with Wales It's not gonna hurt my feelings."

A traitorous voice in my head proclaimed otherwise, but I dismissed it as my brain being confused from magic overuse. Henrietta simply shook her head in disagreement, stating that it was alright, and that Wales had matters to attend to with the headmaster anyways. She then proceeded to ask enthusiastically about my world. For some reason I grinned warmly and I proceeded to tell her the grandest stories of things I'd done in the past. I didn't usually brag, but Henrietta's expressions and noises of amazement were worth it.

* * *

Most of the reason Galahad got so tired was due to his wards sapping his magic trying to protect a golem from hammering him into the ground. Wards take a LOT out of him if something that big hits it a couple of times.

-Forscythe


	5. Chapter 5

Talking

_Thinking_

Thanks go out to all the reviewers, favorites, follows. I responded to you guys by PM, and did address some of the things pointed out.

Oh yeah I don't own Zero no Tsukaima. Didn't know if you readers knew that.

* * *

Chapter V: A Wizard Goes to Make a Choice

* * *

When the headmaster announced that Tristain was to go to war with Albion, I was only moderately surprised. Wales had seemed resigned to the fact that the royal family was going to be overthrown, and rebel governments need to focus the people on something else they can hate and unite against. Why not a small country with no allies?

To make matters worse, Tristain truly had no allies. Apparently that letter was indeed a love letter to Wales, and Wardes had made off with it. He probably turned it over to Germania, because they accused poor Henrietta of all sorts of things and immediately canceled the marriage and the alliance, despite Wales' best efforts to deny the entire thing. In short Tristain was screwed. On the bright side while I was knocked out, Saito found a way for us to return back to Earth without having to wait on my transportation medium to finish incubating. Apparently flying through the sun while there was an eclipse could maybe let us return home. Who knew? I felt a little guilty leaving these people in such a pickle, but wizards weren't supposed to strictly meddle in the affairs of other planes unless it threatens something related to their own. That was the reason I had no regrets helping Saito after all. The wizarding council back home could hold nothing against me. They hated my ass already after, and I didn't want to give them any reason to hate me more.

Oh one last thing before we turn to the present. Wales thanked me for saving his life. At first I was confused, but apparently when the golem launched me through the window I actually knocked Wardes down before he could stab Wales. How lucky is that?

* * *

"So you're going through with this?" I leaned up against the plane that Saito was busy fiddling with inside the cockpit. The plane itself was the only reason I believed the farfetched story about the eclipse in the first place. After all how else could something from the mid twentieth century Japan get here?

"Yeah." Saito's head popped up, and he wiped sweat off his brow, "I...I can't miss a chance like this."

"Mmmmm." I replied, "No regrets? You're 100% committed."

"Why do you keep trying to make me stop." Saito's head popped up again and he glared down at me, "I told you I'm committed!"

"Alright alright." I held up my hands in defeat, "Just want to make sure you don't come knocking on my door a month after we have this conversation asking me to transport you back here, cause it ain't happening."

Suddenly a griffon carrying a man in armor crashed into the courtyard, making me fall over in surprise, and Saito to scream out a few choice words. Poor guy probably knocked his head on something at the noise.

I ran over to the man and knelt down next to him, his griffon making sad noises next to him.

"Hey are you all right!?"

"Ughh..." the man tried to life himself up to look at me, revealing a massive bloody wound in his chest. No fixing that, the poor chap would be dead any second now, "Tarbes...is being overrun, Albion...too strong. Someone please take care of my griffon.."

The man went limp and fell to the grass with a metallic clang. His griffon let out a sorrowful cry and laid down in the grass. Were those tears in its eyes? It seemed really attached to its late master.

I heard the buzz of the plane's propeller beginning to start up. I whirled around to see Saito in the cockpit, with a resigned yet determined look on his face. Kirche, Tabitha, and Colbert were looking on. Oh you have got to be kidding me. He must have overheard the griffon rider. My client's son is NOT going into a war-zone by himself, unknown mystical familiar powers or magical talking sword aside. Unfortunately there's not much I can do about a plane taking off, and before I could even say a word, Saito was already soaring above the castle walls.

"Stupid idiot." I pushed myself to a standing position, "_I can't involve myself in this stupid war, it goes against every bloody law the wizard council has put in place involving planes you aren't native too. 1. Don't involve yourself in conflicts. 2. Don't involve yourself in a romantic relationship. 3. Don't ever EVER take the life of someone from another plane."_

"Stupid idiot." I repeated and turned to look at the griffon who was giving me a peculiar look, "What?"

The griffon prodded my hand and gave me a pointed look.

"What."

It prodded my hand again.

"You want me to chase after Saito and help don't you?"

It looked at me as if I could be thinking anything else. I sighed and jumped onto the saddle.

"You're going if I have to go." I informed the griffon that looked at me with a disgruntled expression, "I'm not going this alone buddy."

The griffon let out a small sigh, and without warning, took off with a massive flap of its wings, practically sending me tumbling off its back to the ground

"Warn me next time!" I grabbed the front of the saddle and breathed in deep breaths, "I almost fell off you know!"

The griffon let out a noise in response that suspiciously sounded like a chuckle. Stupid thing thought it was funny did it? Well I'd show it the best damn wizard it would ever see!

I reached into my bag and pulled out my bottle of moonshine prepared for such an occasion. It was specially prepared by some of the best alchemical wizards for situations where a wizard would need unreasonable amounts of magic. I hated near pure alcohol, but if I was going to be fighting an army, the more alcohol I could load into my system the better. I needed to get my magic regeneration to its highest safe level.

"Alright." I took a swig of the bottle and grimaced. The sounds of fighting were beginning to reach my ears, "I hope you're a damn good flier Mr. Griffon, because dieing isn't on my list of things to do today._ Time to break 2/3 of the wizarding council's biggest rules. PLEASE let them be sleeping._"

* * *

It was a blood bath when I arrived. Tristain's army was getting torn to pieces by the sheer numbers of the dragon riders and massive flying ships Albion had.

"You ready Griffon?" It glared back at me as if to say it had a name, "I don't know your name! Can you just cooperate?"

It grumbled in response. I grinned, feeling the magical buzz that comes with chugging an entire bottle of moonshine.

"Oh great goddess of thunder!" I raised my hands to the heavens, feeling my magic leaving my body, but refilling it as soon as it left, "Fill the air with lightning so that I may strike down my foes! EIGHTEEN LIGHTNING SPEARS."

I had taken note of the flag emblazoned on the griffon's armor, and aimed for every single flier that had a flag that didn't match mine. With a great yell, I slung the rain of thunder down on the front lines cringing as bodies were sent flying left and right. I panted, feeling way more of a drain than I had anticipated. I grabbed another bottle out of my bag just in case and held it by my side, sending out minor spells left and right to fend off all the dragon riders that were trying to end my life. To my surprise, the griffon was an excellent flier, completely dodging most of the spells that came our way.

I spied Henrietta out of the corner of my eye dressed in... oh my. I didn't think she was that...er hot. That was some really revealing armor. I shook my head out of the clouds and ordered the griffon to land next to her. It nodded its head, and went into a dive that made my stomach twist and turn, and caused my ribs to shout out in pain. Henrietta let out a yelp of surprise when me and the griffon suddenly slammed down next to her.

"Morning Princess." I dismounted, and took another swig of the moonshine, "How goes it?"

"You should not be out of bed Mr. Galahad! Your ribs are still healing." Henrietta's tone took on a motherly tone I hadn't heard before, "Nevertheless I am glad for your assistance."

"Do you know where Saito is?" I grumbled, looking up at the eclipse that was already formed, "If he spends too much time being a hero he's going to miss his ticket home."

"He already flew by in the Dragon's Rainment." Henrietta confirmed my suspicions, "He's already been a great help cutting down the flying forces, but I fear not even the Dragon's Rainment is going to turn the tide. It appears the rebels in Reconquista have been planning this war for quite some time. Their warships are proving to be too much for us."

"Princess look out!" I heard Wales call desperately. Reacting on instinct, I let my wards bubble out rapidly, ignoring the drain on my reserves. Someone I could call a friend wasn't going to die on my watch. I felt something horrible powerful erupt against my wards, before my entire body felt like it was being torn apart trying to produce enough magic to fuel them. Finally the horrible feeling stopped, and I was reduced to one knee, my entire body feeling like putty. My magic reserve's, which always felt like a tight pouch, felt saggy and stretched out.

"A-amazing." Henrietta said in awe.

I looked up through one eye, ignoring my body crying out to me to sleep for the next month and saw what looked like around 20 cannonballs spread out in front of the Tristainian army, all smoking and red hot. Wow. No wonder I felt like crap.

"I'm not going to be up to stopping another volley." I grunted out, "I'm spent. If I drink any more moonshine it'll probably break my body apart."

The ship turned to broadside the army again. Then, like a miracle, a massive magical signature made my senses go haywire. My eyes widened and I tackled the princess to the ground as a massive explosion tore the ship apart and most of Albion's remaining air. The force of the explosion sent the majority of Tristain's army flying around like rag-dolls.

"What the hell was that!?" I coughed up a glob of blood and mucus up onto the ground. Holding my wards up strong enough to hold the Princess and I still had taken my body as far as it was going to go, "I'm spent..."

I rolled off the princess and breathed heavily. Oh great. A magical spell of that magnitude and the wizarding council was bound to peak in on this world. I wasn't looking forward to the verbal lashing in my future. For right now though, this grassy field was a great place to just sit and watch the clouds for a while.

"Wait sky..." I mumbled absentmindedly, "THE ECLIPSE!... its gone..."

I sighed deeply. Looks like Saito and I are in for a bit of a more extended stay in Halkeginia as I'd learned this world was called. It wasn't all bad I suppose. Plenty of pretty girls and adventures to go on if the first few weeks were any sort of an indication.

* * *

The muses. They speak to me. I dunno even why. Anyways, end of Season 1, the small fragment of Season 1 that it was. Next chapter is the start of the plot not really matching up with the anime or light novel anymore. I've learned from the last year or so that I really can't stand writing a character directly into a plot. Partially why my Gundam SEED fanfiction has hit such a blockade.

-Forscythe


	6. Chapter 6

Talking

_Thinking_

Thanks for 2k views, 23 reviews, 18 favs, and 20 alerts already! I can already predict I'm going to get some flak for this chapter.

I don't own Familiar of Zero.

* * *

Chapter VI: A Wizard Goes to a Celebratory Dance Quite Reluctantly

* * *

I tugged the collar of my dress uniform Henrietta had gifted me for "services to the crown". The only reason I had even opted to wear it was that there was a celebration held to celebrate the victory over Albion. I only came to the party for the food. I forgot entirely that parties involved dancing. I now wished I was out in the stables with the griffon, who refused to be ridden by anybody but me these days. He was a nice listener.

"Sorry I don't dance." I crossly told another of the academy girls that were now all over me after hearing my greatly exaggerated feats of magic. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate the attention, but I'd broken two out of the three rules already, and I wasn't planning on breaking the third. Plus I simply did not dance. It wasn't my thing at all.

"You don't?" I turned to see Henrietta in a beautiful flowing dark blue dress with a purple trim near the end of the skirt and sleeves

"Nope." I leaned up against the wall, "To tell the truth I'd rather be in my holey coat fighting monsters or solving a mystery right now."

"Doesn't it get boring day in and day out?" Henrietta stared up at me curiously.

"Nah not really. Nothing I'd rather do for a career to be honest." I mused, "I need something to constantly be testing my mind or I'd go crazy."

"Wouldn't that mean you'd be going crazy right now?" Henrietta giggled, "You're stuck here for the next few months."

"I've got plenty of things to set my mind thinking about." I replied tapping my forehead, "Like how this world ticks, what the source of all magic is here. I'd love learning about this world's history. Finally, I'm really really curious why Louise is the only one with a human as a familiar. There's a few other things on my mind, but I won't bore you with the details."

"Do you think about that all at once?" Henrietta asked

"Weirdly yeah." I looked up at the ornate ceiling of the ballroom, "My mind never stops working. I have to notice every little thing around me and constantly analyze everything. It's nice for the job, but it can get annoying day in and day out."

Henrietta hummed thoughtfully in response

"So." I grinned, "Why spend time with me and not your beloved Wales?"

"We can't really be seen together," Henrietta replied sadly, "He is my cousin, and our love is taboo even though the alliance with Germania is now no longer going to happen. How did you know Wales and I are in love?"

"Guesswork." I tapped the side of my head, "I just had to put the pieces together. You sent Saito to get a letter that would ruin your arranged marriage. Once I knew the letter was to Wales the rest was easy."

"A pity you don't plan on staying here." Henrietta scuffed the floor with the toe of her shoe, "We could use someone with as powerful of magic and mind as you in the intelligence division of the army."

"The war isn't going well?" I tugged her by the sleeve and led her out into the outside garden

"Yes." Henrietta looked down at the ground, allowing me to lead her "Albion and Tristain are at a stalemate. We gain ground, they take it back. And they refuse any sort of treaty."

I sat down on a bench and beckoned her to sit next to me. She did, but before we had even sat for a minute the skies opened up. I suggested we go back inside, but Henrietta shook her head.

"I enjoy the rain."

"Alright." I was already well on my way to being soaked to the bone. It was a nice warm summer rain so I didn't mind, "You can't use that immense magic from the last battle to turn the tides?"

"I could never force Louise to go and fight." I raised an eyebrow at that. The girl people around here called 'Zero' managed to sink an entire flying ship? "It's not strictly legal for Louise to go to war even if I could muster the courage to send my best friend off to possibly die. People would call me crazy if I told them to send her anyways."

"Probably from the opinions I've heard of her. I gather that massive explosion is the result of her using magic properly for the first time?"

"Yes." Henrietta leaned forward, her sopping purple locks falling over her eyes, "I'm truly glad for her. She sounded so happy when she related the news to me before running off to be with Saito. Not that she would admit it liking spending time with him."

Henrietta giggled at her own joke, and I joined in before long for no reason.

"This is nice and all, but we should probably go inside before Tristain's future monarch gives herself pneumonia."

"Right." Henrietta stood to her feet and began to walk back towards the light and noise of the party. Suddenly she slipped and I moved to catch her. Unfortunately, that put me off-balance as well, sending us tumbling to the ground. Groaning, I reopened my eyes to see the princess lying underneath me, her greenish-blue eyes staring into mine. She looked so pretty and so vulnerable, staring up at me soaked to the bone

"_Oh hell." _I pressed my lips to hers, eliciting a squeak of surprise from the princess, "_There goes rule number three. Don't kill me Wales."_

It didn't help my situation that the princess was making soft moaning noises and moving her lips with mine passionately. I thought the girl was in love with Wales!?

"Well this just makes my job that much easier." I heard Wales behind me, and scrambled off the princess

"What job." I looked at the man suspiciously. His voice was not as kind as I remember.

"My master has ordered me to get rid of you." Wales replied softly, "I was having second thoughts, but through his tutelage and now this betrayal I have no regrets."

"Your master?" I circled around the man to get in front of Henrietta, and whispered to her, "Run!"

The princess vehemently denied my request and shoved her way around me, "What are you talking about Wales? Galahad has done nothing against Tristain or you to my knowledge. And I apologize wholeheartedly for kissing him. I do not know what came over me. Know that I still love you through and through beloved."

"_Ouch princess." _I winced at her words.

"He will be a threat to my masters plans." Wales intoned flatly, "I need to get rid of him at once."

"Now hold on buddy," I quickly raised my wards to full strength just in case, "You just thanked me for saving your life just a few days ago. Why the sudden change of heart?"

Wales cocked his head to the side, "My master has enlightened me. You must be eliminated so his plans can proceed."

"_Okay. Put the details together. Wales is definitely either brainwashed or being mind controlled. Reach out and probe his mind. I'm so bad at this branch of magic. I never learned it well because it disgusted me so much." _I cursed on the inside when I detected a presence not belonging to Wales own mind. It had a strong grip. I tried to break it, but to no avail. Wales' face contorted in anger, and he slammed me up against a tree, causing Henrietta to cry out.

"Ughh." I groaned. Alright plan B. "Fight it Wales. This isn't you. Do you really want to do this?"

His eyes became clear for a moment, before clouding over again. Henrietta reached up to touch him and try to talk to him, but Wales simply slapped her aside.

"Know your place you wench!"

"_Big mistake asshole." _I took advantage of him being distracted and kicked Wales in the balls before headbutting him in the forehead. Wales dropped me and stumbled back, nursing his privates and head. Not letting up, I punched him in the face and jumped on top of him to hold him to the ground.

"Henrietta go get the guards!" I yelled, hoping that holding his arms down would prevent Wales from using any magic.

The girl stared back at me through teary eyes and didn't respond.

"What are you waiting for!?" I asked, feeling Wales struggle underneath me. I wouldn't be able to hold him much longer with the rain making my grip so slippery, "Ugh fine."

I quickly muttered a spell under my breath and bound up his hands, feet, torso, and neck with chains of earth so he wouldn't be able to escape while I went to go get the guards.

"Don't let him out of your sight!" I cried out to the silent girl, "I'm going to go get some help."

That was my second mistake of the night, the first being dumb enough to kiss the princess.

When I returned with the guards, Wales and Henrietta were both nowhere to be found. I let out a small curse. How on earth did he get free of the chains? The lack of a sign of a struggle led me to believe that Henrietta had left with him willingly. Wonder what romantic words the man weaved to get her to free him and apparently go with him.

"Quick!" I snapped at the guards, "I need something, anything of the Princess' so I can use a spell to track her."

"You can do that commoner?" one of the royal guards questioned

"Yes." I rolled my eyes. Honestly these people, "Now hurry before your Princess ends up in a hell of a lot more trouble!"

One of the brighter guards rushed off and brought me back Henrietta's cloak I quickly did the location spell and rushed off to the stables.

"Wake up Albert!" I rapped the side of my griffon's stall, "We've got a princess to find."

"Room for two more?" I heard Saito behind me, Louise panting heavily at his side. I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." I replied, glaring down at Albert's look of irritation at being woken up, "Oh don't give me that. You'd feel just as bad as me if the princess got hurt."

The beast grunted and walked out into the rain with a look of displeasure. I mounted on the front, and motioned for Louise and Saito to mount up behind me. After I gave my assent, Albert lifted off the ground with a great cry, and we on our way. Behind me I could feel Louise shivering in the rain, and sighing I raised a barrier around us to reflect the rain. Hopefully I wouldn't need too much magic to incapacitate one brainwashed mage. Of course for all I knew Wales could be a square class mage. According to Colbert those were the strongest. Fouquet was apparently only a triangle.

I spied the pair riding in the distance, and decided on a plan in an instant.

"Take the reins Saito." I sat on the saddle sideways and passed them to my confused Japanese friend, "Be right back."

I leapt off the griffon's back and sped down towards Wales like a missile. In the last few seconds I cast a levitation spell and kicked Wales off the horse, sending the man crashing into a mud puddle with a splash. What I didn't expect was a blast of water to smack me in the chest and sending me flying back.

"What was that for Henrietta!?"

The girl in question stood protectively over Wales, "I won't let you do anything to him! I love him, and I know he wouldn't do anything without a reason."

"He's not himself Henrietta." I gasped, trying to get the air back into my lungs. I had forgotten to bring my normal wards back up. I was only able to use one shield at a time, and the rain one was still active.

"Don't listen to him dearest." Wales got to his feet, "He seems to be not right in the mind. Why don't the two of us get rid of him so we can be on our way."

"Yes Wales. Let us do that." Henrietta replied in the same tone as before. Oh geez, is she being controlled too?

I reached out with my mind and confirmed my suspicions. Likely the man controlling Wales was controlling Henrietta's through him. I quickly strengthened my own mental barriers to prevent the same happening to me. I was going to need to knock Wales out first to sever the link between Henrietta and the mysterious mage.

Saito walked up next to me, "What's the plan Galahad?"

"We're going to have to knock out Wales first." I whispered back, "Some mage more talented than me, as much as I hate to admit it, has them under mind control.

"Right." Saito readied his sword, "Ready Derf?"

"You bet partner!" wait Saito's sword can talk? I'll have to look at that sword later. Sentient weapons were so cool!

Suddenly both Henrietta and Wales held out their wands. A veritable hurricane sprung forth and shot towards Saito and I. Letting out a curse, I sprinted to the side, but Saito didn't even budge an inch. Was the guy crazy!? Then to my surprise, Saito braced himself and absorbed the entire spell into his sword. Wow. Derf, as Saito called him, was something special. I quickly modified my plan.

"Alright Saito." I pulled him behind a tree as another massive spell shot by, "I've got a better plan now.

"Good." Saito replied, "Derf can't absorb much more. They're somehow combining their magic."

"That not a common thing around here?" I asked

"Not as far as I've seen." Saito shrugged.

"Alright, the plan is you charge straight for them as a meat shield," I replied, "I'll try to sneak around and get Wales from behind and disarm Henrietta. When I do, you need to restrain Henrietta or grab her wand."

"Great plan." Saito replied sarcastically.

"Oh I think so," I grinned back cheekily, before casting a chameleon spell, "See you on the flip side."

Unfortunately true invisibility spells didn't exist. If they did I wouldn't need Saito's help. I could only blend into my surrounding really well like a chameleon, hence the name. On top of the chameleon spell, I cast a levitation spell to prevent my footsteps from being seen, something a lot of mages forget. Two years in detective work taught me plenty about hiding everything. I quickly snuck up behind Wales, wincing as Saito took another spell and was sent flying. I tackled Wales to the ground and blasted Henrietta's hand with a weak wind spell. Henrietta's wand was sent flying, which Saito quickly dived and grabbed before the Princess could recover it

Finally, I had Wales pinned to the ground for the second time that night. The man began to laugh maniacally, before swallowing something. His entire body seized up and he began to cough violently

"Long life Master Astrious." Wales gurgled out before going limp. The name chilled me to my very bones. If this was the same Astrious I'd heard of, Halkeginia was in trouble. This wasn't a simple job anymore.

* * *

I know people are going to think that it's Sheffield that was controlling Wales, but I assure you all it is not, and this particular possessed Wales is a completely separate incident from the anime. Just think on that one for a while I suppose. Also on another note, Louise doesn't have dispel yet because Henrietta's coronation hasn't happened and she hasn't been given the founder's prayer-book yet. She was mostly hiding on Albert's back.

-Forscythe


	7. Chapter 7

Talking

_Thinking_

Oh so the plot of Familiar of Zero gets screwed sideways in this chapter. Hopefully this upsets no one. Also I'm still trying to grasp Saito's personality. For some strange reason I struggle to write him. Oh yeah and thanks for all the reviews, favs, alerts. I tend to forget until like 10 minutes after I publish a chapter.

I don't own Familiar of Zero.

* * *

Chapter VII: A Wizard Goes Hunting

* * *

Astrious was a name that instilled fear in most wizards. I wasn't afraid just a little nervous. He was a wizard from about twenty years ago that went abnormally bad for extremely bad wizards, and that's saying something. The man went crazy one day and killed just about the entire council before moving on to take out the population of several cities in America. The provisional wizarding council managed to cast a memory charm on the entire world, but the wizarding world itself was still self aware of the horrible things the man had done.

After my own master managed to track the man down and strip him of his powers, he was banished to wander limbo. Apparently the council did a pretty terrible job of both sealing his magic and banishing him to Limbo; if it was actually Astrious and not some fake that had taken control of Wales.

Moving back to the present though, a now lucid Henrietta was crying over Wales' dead body. I'd have knocked him out if I knew he was going to commit suicide. I forced myself to ignore the distraught girl and focus on the details. Number 1, possible rogue wizard from back home. Maybe a dark wizard from twenty years ago named Astrious. Number 2, no way to counterattack his mind control. Very bad. I was seriously thinking of calling in some backup if both these facts were true. Only problem being back up was two-three months away. Curse those thugs on day one for burning my penguin.

"Saito could you take care of Henrietta?" I stood to my full height, eliminating my usual slouch "I've got something I need to do."

Saito nodded and pulled the still sobbing princess into his arms.

"Take her back to the academy on Albert." I continued, "Hear that Al? I need you to take these guys back to the academy. No complaints now. After that you can go back to your stall and nap."

"Where are you going?" Saito asked curiously, holding the reins after passing Henrietta off to Louise, who began to comfort the princess.

"I need to go take care of the man who did this." I replied with a flinty tone, "I don't need a rogue wizard from my plane running around in Tristain killing innocent people."

"R-right." Saito replied, "You sure you don't need any help?"

"Positive." I replied back, "Besides, I'm scared that you'd get mind controlled and I'd have to deal with you and Astrious."

"If you're sure." Saito saluted, "Try not to die buddy. I'd hate to lose my only way home."

I chuckled in response and waved a half-hearted goodbye. Now let's see... who was the last magic person besides me to meddle with Wales' body. Here we go. Grab that magical signature and cast a locator spell tied to it. Got you you bastard.

I pulled my broom out of my bag and took off in search of the signal.

* * *

It was several days of flying until I finally started honing on the signal. Ironically it led me all the way back to Albion. Wonder how long Astrious has had his figurative claws in Wales. I stayed high in the clouds, trying to avoid detection. Finally, I found myself right above the source of the signal.

"Checkmate." I cast a chameleon spell and silently dropped from the sky. Straight into a rally. I really should have checked below me first. I quickly levitated myself, stopping just short of the crowd. I sighed in relief. For some reason my locator spell was frantically pointing at the woman giving the speech. I was under the impression that Astrious was a male. Unless...

It was possible Astrious was using an extremely high level of transformation magic to impersonate the woman. Speaking of, I could swear the woman (Astrious?) was looking straight at me.

"My friends, it appears we have a sneaky bug in our midst." the woman suddenly changed subjects, "Why don't I reveal him so you can squash him."

"_Shit." _I watched as my disguise peeled away, "_Definitely Astrious to just rip away my disguise like that. Abandon mission!"_

I shot up into the air and kicked off one of the citizens that was trying to climb up my leg.

"Is that all you've got Astrious?" I called out cockily.

"Astrious?" the woman laughed, "You should be glad I am not him."

"Who are you then?" I dodged a rock from one of the civilians

"Matthias." the woman bowed, "Though I'm am currently posing as a woman named Sheffield. Call me what you will. I am one of Master Astrious' subordinates."

"Right. _Doubt I can milk this guy for any more info._" I replied, "I'm assuming you know what I'm here for?"

"I do not know how you arrived here." Matthias gathered a fireball into his/her hand, "But the council will not be interfering with our domination of this world."

"Don't bet on it buddy." I began mentally chanting a lightning spell, "I'm here to stop you by any means."

"Very well." Matthias waved his hand and every one of the civilians fell asleep. I restrengthened my mental barriers, "Let us dance young wizard."

* * *

_"I probably should have thought this through before going after a wizard that was likely much stronger than me."_ I ducked under another fireball and sent out a bold of lightning, before rolling behind a building. The building shuddered, before I felt a wave of heat roll past me. This guy was definitely aiming to kill.

"Alright think think think." I crouched on the ground and snuck around the other side of the building, "AH HA! I got it!"

I began preparing one of my homegrown specialty spells. The order rebuked me for toying with homemade spells at age eight, but I ignored them as I usually do. This particular beauty was a spell that summoned as many ghost swords as I pumped mana into it. The ghost swords would then home in on the target. It was particularly useful on nonmagicals since they couldn't actually see the weapons.

"Release!" I grinned and dived around the corner into a crouch. I then swung my arms forward sending my magical swords flying down at Matthias from every direction.

My eyebrows shot up into my head when the he/she simply waved her arms and the swords all exploded against a barrier. Gulp. Running now. I took off, but before I could, I felt an iron grip fasten around my entire body before something picked me up and slammed me into the side of a building. Luckily my wards held pretty well, and I only had the air knocked out of me. The force slammed me into the wall again and again until it finally stopped a few moments later.

"Well brat." Matthias walked up to me with an irritated look on his/her face; I took pleasure in the fact that one of his/her eyebrows was burned off, "I've finally decided to get serious with you. Mind magic is my forte afrer all, so why not just slam you like a rag-doll until your meddling body is broken against the cobblestone streets?"

"I'd really prefer you didn't do that." I snarked back, struggling against the iron grip around my throat. "I'd like all my bones in one piece thank you very much."

The man/woman scoffed at me and proceed to tighten his hold on my throat. Wait one damned second. The dumb-ass didn't bind my hands. Checkmate evil wizard guy. I touched a rune on one of my wristbands and felt a tiny spell enter my left hand. I took my lightning covered hand and quickly stabbed it into the guy's chest. His eye's widened, and he dropped me ungracefully to the ground.

"You... bastard..." Matthias croaked out, scrambling back from me, "That was a dirty trick."

"All's fair in love and war." I croaked back, rubbing my bruised throat, "Time to end this. You'll pay for killing an innocent man."

"Doubtful." the man grinned evilly, "I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve after all. The Strongest Pentagram will prevail in the end."

The man reached slowly for something on his wrist. I lunged forward in the hopes of stopping him, but he touched it anyway. Matthias disappeared before my very eyes, and I was grabbing air.

"Damn, a teleportation trinket," I slammed my fists on the ground, "He could be anywhere, and I'm not facing him head on again. I almost died there."

A rock flew past my head. Uh oh. The people that he put to sleep were now getting up. Cursing, I ran into an alley and immediately used what magic I had left to put up a chameleon spell. I grabbed my broom back out of my bag and shot back up into the air. Guess I needed to head back to the academy. I wasn't going to be doing any good waiting around here like a sitting duck for either Astrious or Matthias. I grabbed a sealed burger out of my bag to eat on the way and took off back towards Tristain.

* * *

I landed in the courtyard, stumbling to stay awake. While wizards could stay awake for days, it wasn't healthy, and I felt like throwing up. I stumbled along tiredly for a few brief moments, before pitching forward. About halfway to the ground, a pair of slim arms stopped my descent. I muttered my thanks to the Japanese looking girl. The same one that had been talking to Saito the day I met him. She led me down to what I assumed were the servant quarters and laid me down on a mat in the back room of the kitchen. I mumbled my thanks again and turned my thoughts inward before sleep overtook me.

"_What exactly did that guy mean by the strongest pentagram?" _I gratefully sipped the beef stew the exuberant chef handed me, "_Is that the name of Astrious' lackeys or his group as a whole? Either way I'm dealing with 5-6 extremely dangerous wizards with no way to call in backup. Well I had been complaining about boring jobs lately. This is a bit much even for me though."_

I finished off the stew, and handed the bowl back. I tapped my chin thoughtfully, my eyelids drooping. My mind was barely functional, so in the end I decided to worry about it in the morning.

* * *

When morning came, I awoke to Saito sitting over my makeshift bed in a wooden chair.

"So how'd it go?" Saito leaned forward and rested his head on one hand, "Did you find the guy responsible?"

I took the plate of bacon and eggs he offered and wolfed down the entire contents before replying, "Yeah. I almost had him, but he managed to escape. He's the worst of our worries though."

"How so?" Saito sighed.

"From what I gathered," I drained the cup of orange juice, "There's at least 5-6 extremely powerful wizards from Earth messing around with things. All probably more powerful than me."

"You're being awfully calm about this." Saito replied dryly.

"Ah ah ah." I waggled a finger, "More powerful doesn't mean better. You can outsmart someone to win even if they're infinitely more powerful than you. The mind is a wizard's greatest weapon."

"R-right." Saito scratched the back of his head, "Oh by the way."

"Hmm?" I looked up from my bag that I was rummaging through

"I've made my decision." Saito clenched his hand, "I'm staying here in Tristain."

I whistled, "Wow you must have fallen hard for your master."

"Yeah..." Saito grinned, "Its too bad Louise is so shy to admit anything readily"

"W-w-what am I shy about!?" I saw a pink haired fury stammering somehow menacingly behind Saito. Hoo boy.

"N-nothing Louise!" Saito fell out of the chair and began backing up, "Louise-sama is perfect!"

"As it should be." Louise sniffed and turned to me, "Queen Henrietta has requested to see you commoner. I will lead you to her."

"Would it kill you to call me by my name?" I asked irritably, before following her up the flight of stairs to the surface, "I can use more magic than you by the sounds of it miss noble."

"If Queen Henrietta wasn't so fond of you I'd teach you to respect me," Louise grumbled. Wait a second.

"Queen!?" I shouted, stopping in my tracks for a brief second

"Yes queen." Louise replied, "Henrietta's mother stepped down a few weeks back and Henrietta has been forced to step up due to the war going on."

"R-right." I jogged to catch up to Louise and fell in step next to her, "_Great now my bloody situation is even worse. Now I'm in love with the ruler of a country. Wait love? When the hell did I decided this was love? Agh, Think about this later you dumb-ass. You've got maniacal wizards to worry about. Wonder what Henrietta wants?"_

* * *

Not a huggggggeee fan of how this chapter turned out, but I had to force some parts of it, mostly the last 400 words or so. As always, R&R

-Forscythe


	8. Chapter 8

Talking

_Thinking_

I got my muse back for this story! Here's another chapter. Thanks to the reviewers, favoriters, and alerters. Are two/three of those even words?

I don't own Familiar of Zero.

* * *

Chapter VIII: A Wizard Goes Missing

* * *

I shoved down the first words that I wanted to say when seeing Henrietta again. Now wasn't the time if this was a serious meeting. The poor girl looked terrible, bags under her eyes, and a slight droop in her posture. Standing next to her were two blonde-haired people, one I recognized and one I didn't.

"Hiya Agnes!" I grinned, "How's it going"

"Worse now that you're here." She turned her face away from me to face Henrietta, "Why is this insufferable mage here?"

"Peace Agnes." Henrietta took the seat behind the desk, "He's here because I trust him like I trust the rest of you."

"Fine." Agnes groaned with a hand on her temple, "But I'll only tolerate him."

"Ouch." I attempted to put an arm around her shoulders, only for her to bat it away, "You're awfully testy today Miss Agnes."

"Shut it." I could almost hear her teeth grinding together. Agnes was too easy to tease. If she wasn't so easy I wouldn't keep doing it.

"Please stop teasing Agnes Galahad." Henrietta sounded exhausted. I immediately sobered up and backed to stand next to Saito. Sounded like whatever it was was pretty serious.

"Last night Lord Cromwell was found dead in his cell." Henrietta began, "As such I have no idea who I can even trust at this point."

"Lord Cromwell?" I asked

"The ruler of Albion that was captured after the battle at Tarbes." Henrietta softly replied, "As I was saying, I do not know who I can trust right now. As such I've called all of you here. You are the only ones I feel I can trust anything with."

"Your highness..." Louise almost looked like she had tears in her eyes.

"In all likelihood war is coming to Tristain." Henrietta turned to face the window, "And I need people I can trust to carry out important missions."

"Well I can't speak for everyone." Saito scratched the back of his head, "But I'd be honored to help you out in any way I can."

"For once I am in agreement with my familiar." Louise affirmed, "I too will do everything in my power to help you."

The rest of us confirmed the same, even that strange blonde-haired guy who revealed his name was Julio. Said man immediately went up to Louise and complemented her on her devotion to Henrietta. His method was very flirtatious which left Louise all red in the face. This seemed to tick Saito off, and the two began to argue about one thing or the other.

"Heh heh." I chuckled at Louise and Saito fighting with each other, "Nice job, Julio was it?"

"Yep." Julio grinned cheerfully, "You must be that slightly mental wizard I've been hearing about."

"Only slightly mental?" I pretended to be hurt, "I must not be trying hard enough."

Julio chuckled and extended a hand, "Oh I like you. I can tell we will work well together."

"Just don't cramp my style." I shook the proffered hand.

"OY!" Saito got in between us, "What are you doing being all buddy buddy with Julio!?"

"He seems like a fun guy," I shrugged, "Do you have something against him? _I know perfectly well what's going on. Who knew Saito would've been the jealous type? Especially with how he looks at other girls than Louise_. _I should really talk to him about that._"

"I-I... just nevermind." Saito sighed, "Even if I tried to explain it, you'd come up with some half-cocked crazy excuse as to why I'm wrong."

"Glad to see we understand each other," I clapped Saito on the back smiling cheerfully, "Do you need us for anything else Queen Henrietta?"

"No, but if you could stay behind so we could talk about something in private I would appreciate it." Henrietta stared out the window, "If everyone else could leave us in private?"

"At once Princess!" Louise comically dragged Saito out by the collar, Agnes and Julio following behind. Louise was damn strong for being so tiny.

"It's cute how she still calls you Princess." I walked up next to Henrietta and gazed out the window with her.

"I do wish she'd just call me by my name." Henrietta sighed, "But I know she never will."

"I couldn't stop Wales' killer." I knew what Henrietta probably wanted to discuss, "He got away just as I was about to finish him. He's the least of your worries for your country's future though."

Henrietta sighed deeply and sank to the floor, her skirts flowing out in every direction, "Just tell me now. I need to hear it."

"Right." I leaned up against the wall, "five-six evil wizards bent on dominating your world. At least two of them are a hell of a lot stronger than me, and probably stronger than your best square class mages. To make matters worse they've already inserted themselves into Albion's government. The war you want to prevent? It's already starting. I was at a rally where they were shouting for your blood."

"I feared as much." Henrietta curled her knees up to her chin, "G-Galahad?"

"Yeah?" I could see her shaking out of the corner of my eye

"H-how am I supposed to s-stay strong?" Henrietta sounded like she was crying now, "I'm only seventeen and I'm expected to lead an entire kingdom through one of its most troubling times?"

"Well... geez I'm kinda bad at this..." I scratched the back of my head, "I guess keep on trucking? I know it sounds insensitive, but you've gotta know that your friends will always be there for you. I know Louise would do anything to make you happy from what I've seen."

"Will my friends always be there for me?" Henrietta replied hollowly, "You and Saito are both leaving as soon as you can right? You don't belong here after all."

I sighed, "_The girl really knows how to make me feel guilty doesn't she?_ Well yes that is true for me. But if it makes you feel any better Saito's staying, and I can return any time I want. I can even give you a way to get in touch."

"Saito is staying?" Henrietta looked up at me, hope shining in her eyes.

"That's what he told me this morning." I replied, "As far as I know he hasn't changed his mind. And speaking of leaving. I'm sure as hell not going to abandon you while psychos from my world are here screwing with things. That isn't right."

"What about after." Henrietta leaned up against my leg, "You'll just be gone? I probably sound selfish right now, but anyone who treats me like a normal person is so precious to me."

She wasn't making this easy. I wasn't supposed to have done half the things I'd done so far, and staying in a dimension permanently that's not your own is another big nono.

"I-" I began.

"GALAHAD EVENGUARD!" an all to familiar voice rung out from outside the window

"_Oh shit! NONONONONONONO. Not now!"_ I poked my head out the window to see the high councilor Elijah Wright himself and his entire body guard, "_Oh bloody hell! This on top of everything else. This week is not my week."_

_ "_Everything you've heard is a gross exaggeration." I waved my hands in front of my face, "I'm innocent."

"That's what you always say." Elijah Wright sighed, "I've got you listed for breaking all three of the major tenants as well as other even more serious charges. Guards. Seize him."

A magical prison immediately formed around me. I probably could've broken it, but what was the point? I was already in deep shit. I wondered briefly how they had found out before the knockout charms built into the prison sent me into a deep sleep. The last thing I saw was Henrietta's horrified face as I was taken away.

* * *

Well on the bright side I was back on Earth. On the not so bright side, my wrists were bound in magic repressing chains and I was having to testify before the magic council. The entire room was an eye-bleeding pure white. Above me, the council floated. All nine of the old windbags sitting in their sleek white chairs. Wonder where the tenth one was? I tried to ignore the disapproving look from my own master who just recently got a seat on the council

"So let me get this straight?" I glared up at Elijah, "You guys think I'm the one who's been subverting Albion?"

"That's what my sources tell me." the man looked down on me like I was some sort of worm, "I doubt you can prove any different."

"I just faced off against the guy that's doing it!" I was barely containing my rage at this point, "He almost killed me and you're trying to convict me of his crimes!? This is a bloody farce."

"According to Matthias you were the one to attack him when he found out what you were doing."

"Wait a second." a light-bulb suddenly turned on in my head, "MATTHIAS!? He's the one who's been doing all the dirty stuff. Not me. I was trying to STOP him."

"Matthias is a respected member of the council." Elijah shot back from his floating white chair. "He has a lot more credibility than you'd ever deserve. Unfortunately he was not able to be here with us today."

The other councilors murmured their agreement

Now I remembered where that itch in the back of my head had come from. Matthias was one of the highest ranked wizards on the council. And it turned out he was in an alliance with Astrious. My luck just went from bad to worse.

"Look." I sighed, "I know what I saw. I know what happened. I also know from my experience that this isn't ever gonna be a fair trial. Just issue the damn verdict."

"Very well." The old man stroked his beard, "For breaking the three rules and subverting a nation by abusing your magic I sentence you to life in the void dimension. All in agreement?"

Seven out nine of those old bastards nodded their assent and began to file out of the chamber. I tried to catch my master's eye, and did. He looked at me and shook his head sadly before following the rest of the wizards out. That hurt. That really hurt. My own master believed I was guilty, even if he voted against my imprisonment. I slumped to the ground and let the guards drag me out. Let them work for it.

* * *

The void dimension. A plane filled with monsters with no way out. The council's best spell weavers actually built a barrier around it, so even if I survived long enough to make a way out it wouldn't work. The guards stripped me of everything except the clothes on my back before kicking me out of their protective bubble out into the wastes below. All I had was my magic and my wits to live out the rest of my days running from monsters. It was the worse possible punishment for a wizard these days. The first few days were hell. I barely survived. Eventually though I made myself a fortress of sorts out of a massive rock formation I found. I holed myself in there and lived every hour of the day in pure fear.

"_I hope everyone back in Tristain is doing okay_." I munched on the fried demonic dog I had cooked with magical fire, "_I can only imagine what Astrious and his buddies have gotten up to already."_

I sighed deeply and looked up at the three moons belonging to this planet. I wondered how much longer I could keep it up. It wouldn't be long before I let my guard down and some beast ripped me to pieces. My body was already wearing down. I'd had to rip up several piece of my precious coat to bandage up wounds that still bled somewhat sluggishly. My coat was basically a glorified bandage at this point. It wasn't in good enough shape to even be called a coat at this point.

"Won't someone liberate me from this hell?" I leaned back on a rock that I'd enchanted to be soft, and cast my usual alarm spells around the entrance to the cave. Nothing was going to sneak up on me if I could help it.

* * *

Was gonna end it when Galahad was being taken away, but that would've been a short as hell chapter. Its still kinda short, but I wanted to end it here.

-Forscythe


	9. Chapter 9

Talking

_Thinking_

Hrrmm my descriptions were kinda lacking last chapter. I'll try to fix that this chapter. I may even go back and edit chapter eight. It was a bit abrupt.

I don't own Familiar of Zero.

* * *

Chapter IX: A Wizard Goes and Gets Confused

* * *

"You've gotta be kidding me!" I increased my speed even further, feeling my magic levels slowly draining.

I was currently being chased by something I can only describe by drawing parallels between real creatures you might've heard about before. Think of a three-eyed triceratops with wings. Or something like that. Oh and it can breath fire. I forgot to mention that one.

"_This plane can go straight to hell!" _I rolled behind a rock and threw a chameleon spell spell over myself. I forced myself to stay as calm as possible as the creepy thing sniffed around the crack I had shoved myself into. I breathed a massive sigh of relief when the stupid thing finally gave up. A month of this shit was starting to wear on my mind.

"Ughhhh." I wiped sweat off my brow and tried to ignore the massive sun that threatened to dehydrate me at any second. Luckily wizards were able to create water of all things, but not food. I guessed it involved pulling the moisture out of the air or something. I regretted daily not paying that much attention in theory classes.

"Home sweet home." I muttered bitterly as I threw my sac of meat from today's hunting onto the ground next to the fire pit I'd hollowed out of the ground, "Man what is with me. I'm usually the happiest wizard on the block. Must be the fire-breathing abominations."

I sighed deeply and was about to take a nap until the meat cooked when a loud, old sounding voice sounded off nearby.

"Helllllllloooo!?" a voice came from just outside the cave, "Are you in there young man?"

"_A human? Sounds like an old man." _I got up with trepidation, "Er yes?"

"Oh good I didn't want to come in unannounced." a wizened old man in black robes waltzed on into my cave as if my wards didn't even exist. I watched him warily as he plopped himself down in front of my fire.

"Come now, don't look so scared," the old man cracked his back, "I'm just a normal old man."

"Right." I took a seat across from him, "A normal old man could definitely survive here."

"Well you caught me." the old man sighed dramatically, "I am a top notch wizard if you must know. Best on my planet before I somehow got myself stuck here. May I have some of this meat?"

"Have at it." I shrugged, "I can always hunt more tomorrow."

"Thank you lad." the man bit into it, "You cook this far better than me. Never tasted meat this good in all my years of living here."

"YEARS!?" I gaped at the man

"Oh yes." the man licked his fingers, "I've been around these parts for quite some time now. I used to have a little trouble, but the creatures have learned to stay away from me by now. My name is Brimir. What's yours?"

"Galahad. Galahad Evenguard." I wished dearly for a hat to tip in greeting, but I'd lost it a week or so ago to one of the creatures.

"You know Galahad," the man took another bite of my cave famous demonic dog kebob, "You're quite the talented one for lasting so long. Most wizards I see banished here die in the first week."

"Thanks." I replied, still not taking my eyes off the strange old man. For all I knew he was a shape shifter monster I hadn't met, ready to bite my head off.

"It's a pity you got sent here." the man leaned back and sighed with satisfaction, "You're one of the few innocent ones."

"Er how do you know I'm innocent?" I was intrigued, "For all you know I could be as guilty as the rest of the doomed wizards sent here.

"I know many things young man," Brimir called a cup of water out of thin air and drained it before looking at me directly in the eyes, "You'd do well to remember that."

"Uh huh." this old man was a weird character, but who was I to dismiss human company after all these weeks?

"Well I must be going now." Brimir stood to his feet slowly, and pointed behind me "You need to get going as well Mjöðvitnir. Your master is waiting. Oh and trust Louise. She has great potential."

"Mjöðvitnir?" I turned to look at what he was pointing at. I saw a green oval floating in midair, "Where did that come from old man-"

I turned to ask Brimir, but he was gone. Almost like he was never there in the first place. I wondered briefly if there was more to him than meets the eye, before turning to take another look at the strange green oval hovering in the back corner of my cave home.

"Looks like a portal." I looked it up and down, "Well anywhere is better than here. GERNONIMO!"

I leapt into the portal, wondering exactly where I was going. Hopefully somewhere I would be able to buy a new coat.

* * *

Everything was pitch black for a few moments as it usually is when traveling in-between dimensions. Then a bright light formed under my feet and I tumbled head over heels into a regal looking bedroom.

"G-Galahad!?"

"Ugghh." I turned my head to see a familiar girl with her hand over her mouth. She was pointing a finger at me shakily, "How's it going Henrietta?"

"How's it going!?" She began to tremble, "It's been over a month since you were abducted! Everyone's been worried sick! Your griffon barely eats and Saito feels horrible he wasn't there to stop them."

"Well I'm here now." I brushed off my ragged clothes and got to my feet, "What's the situation?"

"Well..." Henrietta bit down on her lip, "Albion is almost at our border and our very armies are trying to turn against us. I actually just tried to summon a familiar just now in the hopes I would summon something strong to turn the tides."

"Wait a second." I stopped midstep, "Did you just say you tried to summon a familiar?"

"Yes." Henrietta nodded, "And you appeared."

"Talk about luck." I readjusted my tattered shirt, "Well I'm here. Can't promise I'll be turning any tides, but I'll do what I can."

"Wait." She grabbed the back of my shirt, "We need to finish the contract. Otherwise you'll vanish back to the place you were before."

"I..." I looked back at the Queen, "I... don't know if I want to be enslaved to anyone as their familiar."

"I promise on my life that I would never do anything against your will." Henrietta held a hand over her heart, "I would never try to subjugate a human being to my will."

"...Alright." I knew I could trust Henrietta. She just had that feel about her, "Go ahead and do what you need to do."

What I was not expecting was a full blown mouth to mouth kiss. Or the incredible pain that began to burn my forehead. I bore it though, I'd been through hell and back the last month. Plus I'd interrupt the second kiss from Henrietta. I really needed to talk to her about this whole romance thing when I had the chance. After the pain came a flood of power I'd never felt before. My magic reserves felt like they were rapidly inflating like a balloon. It got to the point where I barely contained it all. Even so I had excess magic energy dribbling out from me. This caused the room to waver in my vision like it sometimes does when it's really hot out. That was when I noticed my old wounds were steaming and sealing shut rapidly.

"Alright." I looked down at the princess, who was blushing lightly. Not entirely sure why. She probably kissed one of the bloodiest, grimiest men on the planet. "Where's this army? I've got a hell of a lot of excess magic to burn off."

"Saito and Louise are just about to leave on your griffon. If you hurry you can catch them."

I saluted jauntily and shot out the door. I practically hit the wall from using too much magic to augment my speed. I shot past a surprised Agnes and leapt out an open window. My luck had really taken a good turn. I landed right on top of Albert in front of Saito.

"GALAHAD!?"

"People do seem to be screaming my name a lot today." I turned to look back at him and grinned from ear to ear, "How it going buddy?"

"Sheesh I'm not sure if I'm glad to have you back or not." Saito grinned despite his words, "Now I'll have you and Julio picking on me."

"You can take it." I patted my griffon on his side, "So I heard you missed me Al?"

The griffon snorted in response and tried to bite my finger.

"Touchy." I took up the reins, "So where are we headed?"

Louise finally found her voice, "Head north-east of here. The army is at the border of Tristain and Germania."

"Right." I replied, "You got that Albert? You probably know the way better than me."

The griffon let out a great battle-cry and shot up into the air like a rocket, eliciting a squeak of terror from Louise. I looked back to see Saito smiling gently as Louise clung to his waist in terror.

"_Wonder if they'll work out."_

* * *

The battle was definitely not going in Tristain's favor. Any regular joe could tell that much. A very familiar figure was leading the charge, slinging spells everywhere. Even more subtlety were the soldiers turning against each other. Matthias.

I told Al to land and instructed him to take care of Saito and Louise.

"I want you two to handle the ground." I said, "I need to take care of that mage in the air."

"He's from Earth?" Saito asked

"Spot on." I clapped him on the back as gently as I could, which still practically knocked him to the ground, "_I gotta get a handle on my own strength again. _We'll make a detective out of you yet Saito._"_

"Right." Saito rolled his eyes, "Stay safe."

"You should be more worried about the other guy." I glared up at Matthais who was laughing loudly in the woman's form as he burned another soldier to dust, "He's about to learn why people don't piss me off."

I gathered a wind spell beneath my feet. Normally traveling this way was far too costly, but I figured I had plenty of excess magic to burn. I released it, and shot myself tumbling up into the air. I resolved from the feeling of vertigo to master a spell of flight the very next chance I got.

"Hey Matthias!" I began mentally chanting the thunder spear spell, gathering no less than fifty around me, "Catch~"

"You!?" Matthias looked at me like I was a ghost before hastily blocking all my attacks, "How?"

I shrugged and began using a spell I'd fondly named force lightning, "Turns out this world's magic is a tad more powerful than anything the council can cook up. Who knew?"

"I'll just have to end you myself then." the man dropped his disguise and proceeded to match my lightning with fire. His eyes widened as he was slowly being pushed to the ground. It felt good to be on the cocky overpowered side of a fight for once in the last few months. I eventually overpowered him and sent the ass tumbling to the ground and slamming roughly into it.

I slammed into his back and quickly knocked him out with a pressure point my master had taught me long ago.

_"Wonder if he still thinks I'm guilty._" I began the extremely long chant to bind Matthias' magic up tight, "_Probably. He's become the same as the rest of those old fogies. Not even having faith in his own student. Whatever. At least I managed to steal this spell back when I was younger. No regrets, though I probably wouldn't do it now. I did a lot of dumb things as a kid."_

I picked up the man's body with a levitation spell and began walking back to the battle-field. I quickly cast a spell over the man to make him look like Sheffield again, and magnified my voice.

"Attention Albion scumbags!" I stood on top of a hill overlooking the battle, "I've got your mighty spell slinging leader right here, and I happen to a whole lot of magical power left to go around."

The army stopped in mid fight and looked up to me. Anxious murmurs began spreading throughout their ranks. Was Sheffield some sort of god to them?

I continued, "My advice to all of you? Run."

Like a floodgate, the entire army broke to pieces and began running back to their ship. Good thing too. The Tristain army was it tatters. Saito was... well he looked like a spartan if there was a way to describe him. He was surrounded by hundreds of bodies, and was panting covered in blood. Most of which I assumed wasn't his. I suddenly got the feeling there was more to Louise than meets the eye if she gave a normal human that much of a power boost. Maybe Brimir was trying to hint that much to me.

"Glad that's over." Saito collapsed onto my shoulder breathing heavily.

"So what's the special power Louise gave you as her familiar." I raised an eyebrow as I dragged the poor guy back to Albert, "Never seen a human fight like that."

"I have the ability to use any weapon. Apparently I'm some legendary familiar named Gandálfr. I also get superhuman abilities as well."

"Interesting..." I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, "Have you ever heard of Mjöðvitnir?"

"No." Saito shook his head, "But it sounds similar to Gandálfr."

"Ah..." Saito's sword suddenly spoke up. What was its name? Derflinger? "I haven't heard that name in a long time. Mjöðvitnir is the Mind of God. Another one of the void familiars."

"Huh." I said, "Wonder why that old guy Brimir called me that."

"Brimir!?" both Saito and his sword shouted, as well as Louise who had just come up to us.

"Yeah Brimir." I looked at them funny, "Do you guys know him or something?"

Louise stammered for a moment before fainting entirely.

"What's her deal?"

Saito sighed, "Me and Derf will explain on the way back."

* * *

This chapter. I like it better than the last. It flows better, it's more descriptive (though I did add about 300 or so words to last chapter. Everyone should check it out.) Alright, so here's how Mjöðvitnir or the Mind of God works with Galahad. Basically the runes treat his entire body as a magical artifact and boosts his power immensely. The Mind of God is the ability to use any artifact/magic perfectly/better. Look it up online. Think of Goku going super saiyan. We're talking about that kind of a powerup. Lots of explanations to Galahad next chapter on Void magic and back lore.

-Forscythe


	10. Chapter 10

Talking

_Thinking_

Happy double digits! This is my first fanfiction in a long time to make it this far. (Though Just One Last Time will eventually when I finish up chapter ten. I'm having to rewrite it over and over.) The only other one is a really crappy self-insert I wrote a longgggg time ago in the Tales of Symphonia archive. This also marks the beginning of the second arc in the story. A second season if you will. Titles will be different now as well (totally not because I was running out of ideas). To the guest reviewer, who left the one review I really need to answer. This chapter might explain it? I've been hinting at the explanation in several places. Anyways, longest chapter yet, let's go! Thanks for the great response from everyone towards the story thus far. Its only going up from here in my opinion.

I don't own Familiar of Zero.

* * *

Chapter X: A Wizard is Hurt

* * *

"So Brimir is basically the founder of Halkeginia's entire society?"

"Yes." Louise nodded. Saito and Derf decided to let her do the honors and made me wait till she woke up, "His children went on to found Tristain, Germania, and Gallia."

"So this void magic." I absentmindedly rubbed my forehead where runes were now engraved, "It's present in mages that summon human familiars?"

"That's what Professor Colbert used to say." Louise replied, "I don't understand though. I know for a fact Princess Henrietta is a water mage. How could she have the ability to use void magic?"

"Maybe summoning me overwrote her old affinity?" I shrugged, "It doesn't seem horribly unlikely. Maybe a void user died somewhere and the powers went to her."

"I guess." Louise frowned, "I wish my magic had waited to be screwy until I summoned Saito."

"So speaking of familiars," I stepped off Albert onto the grassy courtyard of the academy, "How do they work around here?"

"It's a lifetime contract." Louise replied, "Till death do you part."

"I figured." I yawned and then looked down at myself, "Anybody have a pair of clothes I can borrow? And maybe a bath?"

Saito snickered, "I can get Siesta to get one ready like she did for me once, and I can ask for some old clothes while I'm down there."

"Thank you." I replied, "I wouldn't be upset if you somehow found a fedora and a coat down there."

"Got it." Saito laughed and left with Louise in tow. She insisted on not letting Saito leave her sight. It was kinda funny how similar they were.

"You are a mess." I turned to see Julio with one side of his head bandaged up.

"I don't even want to discuss the last month." I laid down in the grass and put my aching head on my griffon side. He made a surprisingly good pillow. "I just want to have a night where I can sleep completely peacefully."

"Tough time?"

"You've got no idea." I sighed closing my eyes, "Try a three-eyed dragon with massive horns that breaths fire and is faster than you. And these things are everywhere."

"They aren't peaceful?" Julio replied

I couldn't but begin laughing the hardest I had in weeks. Soon Julio himself joined in and we were rolling around on the ground in stitches. When I finally recovered, He and I picked ourselves up and Julio waved goodbye, stating he had something he needed to go and do. I laid down again on my griffon, but I wasn't allowed much rest time.

"There you go acting chummy with Julio again." I opened my eyes to see Saito standing over me scowling, "Here's your clothes, the bath's over there."

Saito dumped the pile of garments onto my head and somehow picked me up with one hand. He then unceremoniously dumped me into the giant metal tub with an evil grin on his face.

"Oh...so this is how it is..." I put an equally evil grin on my own face, "You do realize who you've declared war on right?"

"Crap." Saito tried to escape as I used a simple wind spell to yank him into the tub with me. The two of us glared at each for a moment before bursting out in laughter. Then we began to splash each other with water like five-year-old; we laughed so loudly they could have probably heard us from Albion.

"Alright alright," I gasped out in-between laughs, "Enough, I need to actually take a bath."

"Right." Saito flopped out on the grass, "I'll just dry off in the sun for a while."

"You do that." I stripped down to nothing and sighed in the warm water. I could feel all the caked dirt and blood slowly coming off, "_Maybe I'll feel normal again in a few hours."_

* * *

A brief twinge of... something caused my eyes to open.

"_Must've fallen asleep," _I wiped the sleep out of my eyes, "Oh Henrietta! How's my master doing?"

The girl was trying to be quiet as she snuck past my tub. I guessed she didn't want to disturb me.

"_Was the twinge her nervousness spiking?" _I looked down at my pruned hands, "_An empathetic bond then?"_

"Please don't call me master." the girl looked down at the ground, "Not even in jest. I want us to be equals nothing more."

"Alright." I shook my hair out, "I'm gonna change now just to let you know."

Henrietta let out a small eep and immediately turned around. I grinned and began to put on my new clothes. Saito really ended up coming through. There was a coat and hat in the pile, nearly identical to my old ones. It felt incredibly good to be back in my familiar outfit, though now I had a tunic and breeches on instead of jeans and and a shirt.

"You can turn around now." I yawned tiredly, "And to continue your earlier thought, we can never really be equals. You're the queen, and I'm the commoner."

"But-"

"Its the fact of life." I shrugged, "I already know the nobles around here hate my guts. I'm the commoner that can use magic. It's a travesty in their eyes."

_"_Well..." Henrietta sighed, "They'll have to get used to it I think. You're my familiar now, whether or not either of us likes it, and I'm knighting you and Saito tomorrow."

"K-knighting!?" I admitted that the idea gave me a bit of pleasure from my days of daydreaming when I was ten, "_Heck I still sometimes day dream about being a knight."_

"Yes." Henrietta turned to look at me, "And don't try to talk me out of this one. I made up my mind, and I've already arranged everything."

"Yes ma'am." I gulped at the ferocious look she had on her face, "_Dear lord am I whipped already? I'm not even going out with the girl."_

"So about how you kissed me a few weeks ago," Henrietta scuffed her foot on the ground, "I am deeply sorry, but I cannot return your feelings. I still... I still love Wales. That and the nobles would have a fit even if I did have feelings for you."

"I get it I get it." I held up a hand in peace, "I'll live. Won't be the first time I've had a girl say no, won't be the last."

That of course was a lie. I forced down the feelings of sadness so if there was indeed a empathetic link not to send them over to Henrietta. Likely Henrietta was the last. After all she was my master from here on out, and if I was going to be a familiar I was at least going to try and be a good one. What girl would have wanted to go and marry someone already so attached to another woman?

"So." I yawned tiredly, "Where do I sleep? I'm supposed to stay at your side at all times now that I'm your familiar correct?"

"I suppose." Henrietta nodded and began to walk

"You do know you're going to need to give up on Wales someday." I commented, "You're the leader of an entire nation, and you'll need an heir someday. It'd be better to start looking now instead of getting an arranged marriage."

Henrietta ignored me, the only sign that she heard me being a small stutter in her step. I sighed and followed after her.

Suddenly a very acute sense of dread filled ever pore of my body. I shook it off and took off after the princess. I reinforced my barriers just in case. I had gotten a very accurate 6th sense after spending a month in constant wariness. I subtlety got closer to the princess and began moving my eyes back and forth looking for movement. I saw nothing. I sighed deeply and dropped my guard. The feeling of dread only got stronger.

Suddenly the feeling of dread spiked, and I jumped out of the way, carrying Henrietta with me as a massive wave of wind came crashing through the courtyard. A very familiar blonde head of hair was floating over the wall.

"WALES!?" Henrietta and I both exclaimed. I narrowed my eyes and pushed her behind me.

"Which one of the pentagram." I held a hand out in front of me and gathered lightning in front of it, "I don't feel like small talk. Never thought you guys would be dumb enough to try the same trick twice."

"Trick?" Wales landed silently in front of me, "I am me. I've come to take Henrietta with me to live together."

"Oh come on." I facepalmed with my right hand, doing a quick silent spell to check. It was indeed Wales "Do you really think we're going to fall for that?"

"Wales is that really you?" Henrietta stepped out from behind me and began walking towards him, hope shining in her eyes.

"Henrietta he's obviously not in the right mind." Henrietta ignored me and kept moving closer.

I cursed under my breath and moved to grab Henrietta before she got to far away from me. Before I could do so however, a hurricane of several different magics sent me head over heels through the top of the student dorm.

"What the hell!?" I heard Saito coughing.

"Sorry about that." I brushed my coat off and put my hat back on, "Well since you're awake, mind helping me a bit?"

"M-My room." Louise's face was slowly turning red in anger, "COMMONER!"

"Get angry later." I flicked her in the forehead, "Your favorite princess is in a bit of a pickle."

"Princess Henrietta!?" Louise scowled up at me and rubbed her forehead, "What's wrong?"

"Undead past lover." I jumped out the hole, "Grab Louise and follow me Saito!"

I looked up at Wales, who was gently kissing Henrietta in the air. My blood boiled. I felt my entire body shaking. How dare Astrious try the same thing again. Oh there was going to be hell to pay.

Saito walked up next to me, and I began to formulate a plan, "You get super strength while holding Derf right?"

"Er yeah." Saito replied, "What of it?"

"Louise, you've got some sort of magic right?" I turned to the pinkette, "Brimir told me to have a little faith you."

"Yes." Louise nodded with pride, "I can make massive explosions."

"Oooh nifty. So you're the one that blew up that ship." I turned back to Saito, "I want you to throw me at them. I don't want to risk anything by throwing spells, and my only other way of flying is really inaccurate. Wales might dodge out of the way, and I don't want to chuck random spells while Henrietta's up there."

"Well alright." Saito gripped Derf in one hand and grabbed me by the front of the shirt with his other, his runes shining with a bright light. I wondered briefly what would make mine shine like that before I felt a rush of wind as Saito threw me like a human missile toward Wales.

Before I could do anything, Wales lit up like a Christmas tree and sent me spiraling to the ground smoking. No really. He lit up with a multiple of different colors underneath his skin.

"_Uggh..." _I stumbled out of the crater created by my fall and stared up at Wales, who was still glowing, "_Some kind of implants? There's no way he was this strong last time._"

"Familiar," wait that was Henrietta not Louise, "I want you to leave us alone in peace. Are you that jealous of our happiness? Please leave the nobles to their affairs commoner. Go sleep in the pen out back like the rest of the animals."

I felt like a dagger went through my heart at every word. I knew deep down that Henrietta would never say those things, but then even deeper still whispered a voice that told me what I really knew. That the mind control spell only let the user do what the host did at least somewhat desire. Somewhere deep down inside Henrietta thought I was nothing more than a jealous good for nothing commoner that had intruded on her life. I knew it was probably just due to something left over from her upbringing, but the swelling anger inside me unfortunately ignored my usual common sense.

I clenched my fist. Irregardless of how upset it made me. Irregardless of how another person in life had possibly abandoned me. I had to save her. Do the impossible, do the undo-able as a favorite anime of mine used to say. I forced my emotions down into a cage and focused up on Wales with one of the best wizardly glares I've ever mustered.

"You asked for it buddy." I launched myself full speed tumbling through the air and shoulder tackled a surprised looking Wales, sending him flying towards the ground. I then caught Henrietta with a gust of air and sent her flying into Saito's open arms. Wales probably thought I was going to be so thrown off, and that I wouldn't come after him again. I was made of tougher stuff than that.

"Well well." Wales brushed himself off, "You aren't so easily affected by words as I thought."

"I'm with you." Saito stood tall next to me, "Louise is escorting the princess back to Agnes."

"Right." I nodded, "You know I never asked this... but friends?"

"Friends." Saito shook my hand firmly.

I felt a power surge through the contact, and both of our runes began shining like white fire.

"Oh ho!" Derflinger exclaimed from Saito's back, "The mind and left hand of god reunited for a fight completely in rhythm. It's been years!"

"You go front and I'll go behind." I flooded my body with magic that didn't feel entirely my own, "And don't worry I can keep up."

"I'm more worried about keeping up with you." Saito disappeared in a flash and reappeared in front of Wales swinging Derf down. My jaw dropped, since for some reason Derflinger was completely coated with fire. Wales blocked with his bare hand and shoved Saito back. I ducked in and tried to stab with my sword I'd created with pure lightning, only to have him grab my wrist and repeatedly blast me in the chest with fire until I began to cough up blood. I looked up at his face to see his eyes glowing like a rainbow.

"What the hell did they do to you!?" I choked out, scrambling back as Saito managed to free me with a particularly vicious combo. Man was he good with a sword.

"I was granted great power to rescue Henrietta from you heathens." Wales began to gather a massive fireball that reminded me greatly of a spirit bomb, "NOW DIE!"

"Well he's clearly whacked in the head." I grumbled and turned to Saito, "Look I'll handle the fiery spirit bomb if you can disable him."

Saito chuckled, "You watch anime?"

"Lots." I redirected all the magic in my body up into my arms, "We can talk later maybe. GO!"

I rapidly began pulling moisture out of the air. Surprisingly I didn't have to be careful not to accidentally end up pulling moisture of Saito himself. My magic seemed to flow right around him like it knew he was a friend. Probably another benefit of being a fellow void familiar. I mentally thanked Brimir for putting that little extra thing in the contract.

I began blasting the nuke with all the water I could. To my horror it showed no signs of stopping, and I had now essentially given it cooled rock armor.

"Troublesome." I chewed my bottom lip before settling on plan B, "Well this is going to hurt."

I stood directly in the things' path and flowed the entirety of my wards' strength up to my arms. With a great roar I grabbed the thing and stopped it from falling entirely. The thing began shaking in my hands, and I braced myself for impact. More surprising was how easy it was to hold it back.

"DISPEL!" I heard Louise shout, before literally everything turned quiet in a instant. My wards failed, the giant fireball nuke thing disappeared, Wales suddenly collapsed, but not from Derflinger being stabbed into his chest, and I saw my master run up out of the corner of my eye to the fallen Wales

"Wow Louise," I had a grin on my face from ear to ear, "That spell is a BEAUTY."

I rubbed the top of her hair affectionately eliciting a crimson blush, before turning to make sure my master wasn't getting herself hurt.

"H-Henrietta," Wales seemed to be possibly in the right mind for once, "It is good to see you once more in the right state of mind."

"NO!" My master's body shook in despair, "Not when I've just gotten to see you again!"

"Henrietta." Wales took her hand in his, "Forget about me. I don't want to be stuck loving me forever. You need to move on."

"I-" Henrietta vigorously shook her head, "I will never be able to love one as much as I love you!"

Ouch. I absentmindedly stroked the left side of my chest where I felt the usual pain at her words. Well what was done was done. I knew what she probably thought of me deep down anyway.

"Promise me you'll forget me." Wales fell back and began to breath heavily, "PROMISE."

"But-" Wales fell limp, Derflinger still sticking out his chest. Saito pushed my master gently to the side and slipped Derf out with a grimace.

"Can you take Henrietta back to her room?" Saito tried getting the worst of the blood off in the grass, "She needs to rest at this point.

"Get someone else to do it." I replied coldly, "My only duty tonight was rescuing my master. Nothing more."

Saito raised an eyebrow at my attitude but didn't decide to comment, "All right. I'll take her myself. You sure you don't want to talk to her? She didn't mean the things she said you know. She could really use someone she trusts right now."

"Want to know something Saito?" I turned to walk away, "The mind control spell she was under only allows the user to make their target do what the target even slightly desires. Think about that one for a moment. Get Louise to talk to her or something."

I stomped away, not caring that I was probably acting like a child. I headed to Albert's stall in the stables, knowing he'd at the very least provide a good ear and a soft pillow. I'd just cover my nose in some sort of magic to cut out the poo smell. I decided to work on some counter to mind control in the morning. This stuff needed to stop happening.

* * *

I've got new writing strats. I just write my story in a massive document and split it later. It actually really helps. Also I kinda lied about this being a chill chapter. Half of its chill. I needed to get this particular sequence out of the way though. It really needed to happen. Next chapter will probably be a lot of talking and emotional stuffs. One final note. I could really use a beta reader.

-Forscythe


	11. Chapter 11

Talking

_Thinking_

Dear guest reviewer, Tifa is not dead. She's very much alive. Go back and read the last few chapters and you might catch it. I do wish you'd login with an account so I could answer you directly. Anyways, thanks to Mr. Guest as well as the rest of the reviewers, favoriters, and alerters. I don't care if the last two aren't real words.

I don't own Familiar of Zero.

* * *

Chapter XI: A Wizard Is an Emotional Wreck

* * *

Morning came with Albert being rarely affectionate and licking me awake with his massive tongue. I saw the sun just barely rising. Maybe it wasn't so affectionate after all.

"Oh come on Al!" I grumbled, wiping off the slimy drool, "I told you to let me sleep all day."

"I told him to wake you up," I heard my master reply, and looked up to see her standing there in her usual dress, "So please, blame me."

"No problem doing just that." I brushed the straw out of my hair, "So what do you want master?"

"I told you to refer to me as just Henrietta," my master frowned down at me

"Negative master." I glared up at her, "You are far too classy and royal for me to ever think of referring to you as such."

"Oh no..." Henrietta looked down at the floor, "I said some truly terrible things while being controlled last night didn't I?"

"Ask Saito." I flopped back down on the straw, "I'm going back to sleep master. I'd appreciate if you'd allow this much."

"Please Galahad...I...I" I was certain if I turned around I would've seen a sight that would have melted my anger down to a mere puddle, "I don't want our friendship to be ruined by this."

"I just need some time to think." I continued facing the other way, "Please leave me in peace. Surely you don't suddenly need me to attend to your every need now that I'm your familiar?"

Intense sorrow and frustration slapped me through the link, but at the time I was too wrapped up in my own stupid self pity to even care. I just wanted to be alone to gather my thoughts. I hadn't had much time to think the last few weeks, and only now was the betrayal of the council really setting it. It was so nice how easily the old bastards had turned on me.

"Here." I tossed a necklace I had hastily alchemized the night before out of straw and rocks over my shoulder to Henrietta, "So you don't get possessed again. I've got ones for Saito and Louise as well if you could tell them to stop by. Unless that's too much trouble for you to carry out such a request from your familiar."

A brief flash of anger through the bond was the only warning I received for a slim hand grabbing me by the shoulder and rotating me around with a surprising show of strength. Then said hand slapped me in the face so hard it stung.

"I do not know what kinds of things I said to you last night." Henrietta's face was bright red in anger, "But I am NOT the kind of woman you apparently think I am after one incident where I wasn't even in control. Where is the Galahad that became my dear friend and familiar!?"

The girl turned about face and stomped out of the stall with a rare rage I had never seen out of her.

"Wow..." I mumbled before resting my head back on Al's side, "I didn't think she was even capable of getting that mad."

Al sighed and closed his eyes. Arrogant griffon probably thought none of this was worth his time. For once I agreed with him, and I closed my eyes to try and escape all the stupid thoughts I kept having. For once my thoughts were all converging on on subject, which was never a good thing. Unfortunately the Left Hand of God didn't think my rest was important either. He came rather loudly into my pen and immediately kicked me in the side before speaking

"Let's go for a walk." Saito dragged me to my feet and pushed me out the academy stable's door, "I want to talk."

"Talk then. We don't need to go for a walk" I faced my fellow void familiar and crossed my arms, "I'm just gonna take a wild guess that this about Henrietta. Actually no. I don't take wild guesses. This is about Henrietta."

"Yeah. It is." Saito replied, "I know you're smart enough to know you're hurting her. So why do it? I know you're better than this. She practically LOVES YOU!"

I flinched at the last words, before replying back, "That's a lie."

"Oh so this is what this is really about." Saito rolled his eyes, "Did she tell you that she loves Wales and could never love you or something? Suck it up. You need to be there for her no matter how much it hurts to stand next to her day in and day out."

"Oh like you know." I turned to go back into the stables, but Saito's iron grip on my shoulder stopped me in my tracks.

"What do you think I went through with Louise for the first few months?" Saito asked angrily, "All she did was abuse me, but I couldn't help but love her regardless. It took ages until she finally reciprocated any sort of feelings for me, but I stood beside her through thick and thin as a FRIEND. Even if it hurts you to do so, you need to grow a backbone and be there for the poor girl. Henrietta barely has anyone left after her mother passed away from a heart attack a week or so back. I'm really surprised she hasn't completely broken down with the way you're treating her today."

I clenched my fist, trying desperately to hold down my magic, which was threatening to break free of my control and smash into Saito. I breathed deeply and took full control again.

"What do you expect me to do?" I sighed and sat down on the ground hard, my head in my hands.

"At least come and be knighted." Saito scratched his chin, "After that we'll see. I know you showing up for that would definitely make her happy."

"R-right." I nodded stiffly

"Now come on." Saito grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet, "I've got our formal wear up in Louise's room."

* * *

I tugged at the collar of the suit and grimaced. I hated suits, and stuffy gatherings.

"_Why'd I let Saito talk me into this?" _I tried to attract as little attention as possible, _"Oh right. Henrietta and my stupid fickle heart."_

I was trying to avoid said queen's gaze as she continued her speech about various things, mostly involving tales of Saito's and my heroism and why we deserved the title of Chevalier, the formal title for knights around here. It was really interesting how similar this world was to medieval France, at least Tristain anyways. I wondered briefly if Germania was anything like Germany. Finally my master beckoned the two of us forward, and we knelt before her on one knee.

Henrietta walked towards me softly before taking a ceremonial looking sword and tapping me on both shoulders.

"I dub thee Sir Galahad de Evenguard, Chevalier of Tristain."

Henrietta did the same to Saito before stepping back and asking the crowd gathered to give us their congratulations. From what I'd understood from Louise's hasty explanation this was a big deal. Chevaliers were basically nobility in all but land, political power, and magic.

"So." I took a sip of the punch, fingering the chevalier's cloak that had Tristain's crest on the brooch. I was merely carrying it around, still not sure if I even wanted to put it on, "I wonder if Louise will be more willing to be affectionate with you now that you're basically a noble?"

"Hmmm..." Saito mused, "Maybe. I think she's pretty shy in public regardless, but maybe in private..."

"I don't want to hear your fantasies buddy." I whacked him on the back of the head, "I don't need awkward thoughts the rest of the night."

Saito glared at me angrily while rubbing the back of his head, "I wasn't planning on it."

"Sure." I replied back before we fell into a companionable silence for quite some time.

"Ummmmm..." suddenly Henrietta was in front of us bobbing back in forth nervously. When the heck did she get there? "Could we talk Galahad? In private if possible."

I sighed deeply. The question that happened to be mainly on my mind was: was I ready for this? I wasn't sure, but I couldn't possibly stand seeing that sad expression on a girl's face even if I didn't exactly feel comfortable around her.

"Sure master. Lead the way."

Henrietta ended up leading me to a small room behind the throne room. It had a small desk, two chairs, and a small bed. Henrietta herself flopped down on the bed and kicked off her shoes with a satisfied sigh. I took a seat in one of the chairs in a reverse style and leaned forward, crossing my arms over the back of it. Neither of us was willing to start speaking.

"This your bedroom master?" I asked curiously, trying to break the awkward silence.

"No." Henrietta sat up and took off her crown to set it on a side table, "Just a small room kept secret to get away from everything when I need to."

I nodded, and the awkward silence began again. Henrietta kept nervously tucking her hair behind her head and opening and closing her mouth to say something.

"I'm sorry." I surprised myself to speak first, "The things I said this morning were out of line master."

"Not entirely." Henrietta looked down at her lap, "Saito told me what I said to you yesterday. That on top of me rejecting your feelings must have felt like I slapped you."

"It still doesn't excuse me hammering on you like that." I ran my hands through my hair in frustration, "I just... I dunno. I got worked up over nothing. I know you didn't truly mean it."

"Then why insist calling me master?" I flinched at that, "Something has to be bothering you."

I didn't reply. I just stared up at the ceiling tiredly. It was a good question. I was acting completely out of character since coming back to Tristain. I was never this depressing or easily hurt. My master always told me I was as hard to emotionally manipulate as a rock. So why. Why did everything Henrietta say to me affect me so much? It couldn't possibly be that I was this in love with her in the brief time I had come to know her.

"I don't know." I responded hollowly, "I don't know master. I... I don't know. For once in my life...I just don't know."

I held my head in my hands and began to cry of all things. I never cried. It just wasn't something I ever did. I didn't cry when my parents abandoned me on the side of the road after I almost burnt the house down with magic. I didn't cry when my old master used to punish me for disobeying him. I didn't even cry when I felt like I was going to die in the void dimension. So dammit why was I crying now!?

I slammed my fists into the table, wincing as I broke it in half. I hadn't meant to infuse myself with magic, but anger and sorrow tend to let magic leak whether a wizard likes it or not. I was probably scaring Henrietta.

To my great surprise, a pair of slim arms wrapped in silk wrapped around me gently and pulled me into a hug. I could smell a flowery perfume as the queen rested her chin on my shoulder I melted into the hug and began sobbing even harder to my shame.

"H-Henrietta." I managed to choke out, "I am so sorry..."

"It's okay." She ran one of her hands through my hair gently, "Let it all out."

The first time I had probably cried since a small child. I indeed let it all out and cried for what felt like hours. It wasn't even mostly for the last few months that I was crying. It was all the shit that had been building up over the years that I was finally letting out. By the end of it I wasn't entirely sure that I had any water left in my body to have cried further with. I didn't want to leave Henrietta's arms, but It'd be selfish to keep taking advantage of her knowing her feelings. I wondered why the girl even wanted to be near me at this point. I'd been an ass all day, and now I acted like the Incredible Hulk to her table. Shouldn't she have been scared or hate me at this point?

"Thanks." I said stiffly before gently pulling back from her embrace, trying my best not to kiss the slightly parted lips that were getting disappointingly further and further away "I'll try not to break down like that again Henrietta. I'd hate to cause so much trouble for my master in the future."

"Don't worry about it." Henrietta smiled gently, "Everyone needs a good cry once in a while. I already had mine last night with Louise. I'm just glad to have one of my dearest friends back."

"Well you know us manly men." I flexed a fake muscle, "Gotta keep our image up."

Henrietta giggled lightly, "Nice to see a semblance of humor from you again."

"Right!" I stood to my feet, feeling the lightest I had in a long time, "I need to go talk some things over with Saito before he sneaks back off to the academy. Is there somewhere I can put Albert? I am staying at the palace permanently now no? I assume a familiar should stay at his master's side."

"Yes." Henrietta nodded, "I'll ask the royal guard to go and tell the stable-master to expect you. I apologize but you will have to stay here to keep up a public image. It wouldn't do for the queen to not have her familiar at her side."

"Got it." I replied, "Where do I sleep?"

"I will arrange for a small mattress to be transferred into my room," Henrietta replied, "It'd be best if you stayed in there. I've had multiple assassination attempts in the last few months and I'd feel safer if you stayed in the same room."

"The nobility is okay with this?" I raised an eyebrow.

"They don't view you as a an actual person," Henrietta replied sadly, "Now go. You don't want to miss Saito."

"Right." I waved goodbye and hoofed it out of the room.

As it turned out I just missed Saito. I would have to wait until the next day to fly over to the academy on Saito. Some friend he was taking off without saying goodbye. Louise probably dragged him off in full protest. I sighed deeply and grinned to myself. If I was whipped by a girl that wasn't in love with me, then Saito was tied up and constantly beaten in his situation. I laughed loudly at the thought, drawing many strange looks from the still partying nobles around me. Screw them. It felt good to laugh after the last 24 hours.

* * *

I did not go into this chapter expecting to get this much character development out of the way, but uh here it is. Small tidbits of Galahad's past and emotional stuff.

-Forscythe


	12. Chapter 12

Talking

_Thinking_

I dunno if I've ever loved writing a story as much as this one. Seriously. I'm going to throw a full effort into this and JOLT to improve my writing style. I know I'm pretty damn bad at telling rather than showing as the phrase goes, but I really want to fix that. As a result this chapter will probably be double the length or so of past chapters. I may end up going back and reediting the old chapters as well. On that note, my chapters for this story will probably be a slower update rate, because of both chapter length, and having to go back and edit.

I don't own Familiar of Zero.

* * *

Chapter XII: A Wizard Is Thrown Back Into the Thick of It

* * *

I yawned tiredly and stretched my arms. It felt good to sleep in a real bed after weeks of hell. I looked outside to see the sun just barely rising and sighed.

"_Guess my sleep habits from living in the void dimension haven't changed at all. Not that I should have expected them to from one night." _I looked to see the princess asleep and immediately blushed at the revealing nightgown she was wearing, "_Are you kidding me? She's willing to wear something that revealing while sleeping in a room with me. She must really trust me."_

I shook my head and pulled my coat on. I looked over at Henrietta and briefly considered waking her, but ultimately decided not to. I figured she could probably use the sleep. I headed in the direction of the wonderful food smell wafting into the room, hoping it would lead me to the kitchen where I could maybe mooch some food off the chefs this early in the morning. Luckily my sense of smell was as good as ever, and I found myself in the kitchens in no time.

"Hello?" I looked around the room for any signs of life, "Anybody here?"

"Just a moment!" an old sounding woman's voice came from somewhere in the back, "I'll be with you in second dear!"

"R-right." I scratched the back of my head and leaned up against the wall. To her word, a little white-haired woman came slowly walking up to me a few moments later. She looked me up and down before nodding. I felt like I was being judged for literally everything I was doing and immediately straightened my back.

"You must be Henrietta's familiar she was talking about just the other day." the woman reached for something under the counter, "Here I'm sure you're hungry."

To my great delight it was an entire platter of pigs in a blanket. I wolfed down two or three before remembering my manners. I quickly swallowed the bundle of meat and dough in my mouth and finally greeted her.

"Pleased to meet you. Galahad Evenguard at your service. If you don't mind me asking, who're you anyways?" I wiped my mouth off with the back of my hand, "I can't see an old woman being around the kitchen all day."

"Oh I'm just our dear queen's old nanny." the woman busied herself with making some sort of dish, "I just like coming down to the kitchens to make the dear her favorite food occasionally. She seemed so down yesterday, I felt like I needed to make her her favorite breakfast."

"Ah." I shoved another dough wrapped sausage into my mouth, "That'd be partially my fault. We've already reconciled the issue, so she should be in a lot better spirits today."

"So when the marriage?" the nanny's next words made me choke on my food.

"She doesn't love me." I rubbed my throat to get the food to go down, and laid the platter down on the table.

"Mhmm..." the old lady hummed to herself, "You young'uns need to learn to be honest with each other."

"Look uh," I replied, "Miss Nanny. Even if she did end up changing her mind, exactly what do you think this stuck up society would think?"

"Well you are a chevalier and you can use magic." the old lady responded, "I don't think it would be that great of an upheaval. You two could probably handle it."

I blinked at the woman. She had an awfully weird amount of confidence in me considering she just met me. I half wondered what Henrietta had said to me in her descriptions of me. Probably all of it was a little over-exaggerated.

I 'spose so." I shrugged after a while, "Regardless it doesn't matter, the facts are the facts and I've moved on from it. I promised Saito and myself I'd be her friend no matter what. Through hell itself as Saito once put it to me."

I heard a small gasp behind me. I turned to see Henrietta in a deep purple robe and slippers with tears shining in her eyes. I groaned mentally, wondering if I had somehow upset her again. The thought made me feel terrible, but I wondered how she could have possibly gotten upset from anything I said.

"Was it something I said?" I scratched the back of my head in confusion for what felt like the thousandth time that day, "Erm I'm sorry?"

She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around me tightly. I felt my face heat up with the proximity and her state of dress, "Don't apologize. Your words just tugged at my heartstrings a little bit."

"O-okay." I shook my head mentally, "_I have got to stop attacking like a love sick puppy. This isn't helping anything!"_

I heard the old nanny mutter something about silly, indecisive children before she busied herself with the kitchen again. I ignored her and pulled a seat out at the table and offered it to Henrietta, before sitting down myself.

"So what is this special dish your nanny is making anyways?" I rubbed some more of the sleep out my eyes, "I'm kinda curious."

"Just a special kind of oatmeal." Henrietta rested her head on the table and yawned cutely, "I love it, but most of the time the cooks around here won't prepare it, claiming it's improper food for a noble."

"You could always fire them." I grabbed another sausage off the platter and happily shoved it in my mouth. I knew what she was gonna respond with. Anybody who knew Henrietta knew she wouldn't fire a servant for her own benefit

"I know that I could." Henrietta sighed and responded as I knew she would, "But I could never put someone out of their job just for my own selfishness."

"Understandable." I just couldn't get enough of the sausages. I figured it must have been my lack of any decent meal the last few weeks. Or this nanny was that good of a cook, "Oh my gosh... How much does your nanny cost? I wouldn't be ashamed to hire her on to take care of me in the slightest."

"Sorry I don't take on teenage boys." the nanny walked up to use and placed a steaming bowl of oatmeal in front of Henrietta. She then winked at me, "Oh course if the two of you get married I might end up cooking for you just to see your children."

Henrietta turned bright red and spit out the mouthful of oatmeal all over the front of my tunic. I grimaced and wiped it off with my right hand. Luckily my tunic was a dark blue, so you wouldn't see anything once I wiped it off. I would just smell like oatmeal the rest of the day. There were worse things in life, like yetis.

"Don't talk like that Miss Elisa!" Henrietta cried out, "You know I hate it when you tease me like that. Especially when it isn't remotely true."

I ignored the slight pang in my heart and chose to laugh at the situation instead. Henrietta looked really funny at the time, with her puffed out cheeks and crimson face.

"_Wonder how many suitors she gets daily,_" I mused as Henrietta and Miss Elisa bickered back and forth good naturedly, "_Probably a lot. If not, the royalty is really crazy around here. _Henrietta?"

"Yes?" Henrietta put down her spoon and gazed at me expectantly. I sighed. I wanted to save this conversation for later, but I figured it was now or never.

"Is the war over yet?" I asked, "I'm only asking because I need to know how much freedom I have to search for Astrious."

"Oh yes." Henrietta's face turned tired, "Those dangerous mages you were telling me about. Five of them left right?"

"Or four." I shrugged, "I don't know if it's five or four left."

"Well to answer your question. No. Albion has not surrendered. I received word from one of my spies that a new ruler replaced Sheffield as soon as you took care of her. Almost like they were waiting for her to be gone"

"Right._..I'll bet anything that's one of Astrious' followers. That's _convenient." I rubbed my temple, "I'll stay around here then. I'm worried about Astrious, but I'm more worried about what might happen if Saito and I go on a trip looking for him. Besides..."

"Besides?" Henrietta looked at me with curiosity

"Odds are the replacement is one of Astrious' followers," I voiced my thoughts, "So whether we like this war or not, its nice that one of them revealed themselves so easily. Hopefully he'll accompany the army next time they decide to attack"

Henrietta opened her mouth as if to say something then shut it again. She simply nodded in response to my question, looking extremely unhappy. I sighed, knowing that Henrietta probably wished for a quick end, and didn't agree with my sentiments.

"Someone probably would have taken over for Sheffield anyways." I grabbed her hands daringly in mine, "Henrietta, the only reason I knew that it was one of Astrious' followers is how fast they took over. From the sounds of it, there was no fight for control. He probably used some sort of mind control. I'm not trying to cheer on the fact that the war is continuing just because it makes it easier on me."

"I know." Henrietta nodded, "I know you well enough to understand that."

"R-right. Sorry." I scratched the back of my head.

We sat there in awkward silence. Unluckily or luckily it didn't last.

Explosions suddenly rocked the castle. My eyes widened and I rushed out of the kitchen, my hat falling off my head in my haste. I released my usual body limiters and flooded my body with magic before turning into a human blur in the corridors. I ignored the staff's cries of rage as my wind in my wake knocked a few of them into walls. I could apologize later. I slid to a stop in front of Agnes who was crouching behind one of the castle's western ramparts

"So what's the situation?" I asked cheerfully as the very walls shook.

"Some guys with rainbow lights coming out of their bodies," Agnes replied quickly and unusually civilly, "Happen to know what's going on? Half these guys don't look entirely alive."

"Necromancy." I tried to keep a lid on my magic, but my rage was causing the loose stones in the wall to shake, "Get someone to get Louise and Saito ASAP. I'll clear a path."

"R-right." Agnes slowly backed away, "I'll get a griffon rider on that at once."

"You do that." I mentally began chanting a spell for a meteor shower, a spell that usually knocked me unconscious in the old days. According to my master it almost killed me "Oh and Agnes?"

"What?"

"I apologize in advance for the craters that are going to be in front of the castle."

With that I released my meteor storm and jumped over the wall into the fray. I ignored Agnes' stifled cry as glowing bodies went flying in explosions of rock and fire. Not that I would have been able to do anything concrete till Louise showed up with he fancy dispel spell of hers. I would just have to scatter the body parts to prevent them form reforming. I formed an extremely durable barrier and began bringing down a living hell on the zombies slowly advancing and casting spells. Luckily it didn't appear any of them were natural mages. Most of the magic was fairly below average. I generally tanked it all, probably foolishly ignoring the slow drain on my magic reserves. I was in a bit of a pissy mood from having to deal with more undead. A shiver suddenly went down my spine.

"Well well so you're the mage that's been giving Lord Astrious so much trouble..." a silky smooth voice in my ear caused me to whirl around. A weedy looking man was looking at me with a sinister grin. He was slightly slumped over and had extremely long long black hair that covered nearly all his face except for his blackened teeth. As I was looking at the man, a massive fireball slammed into my back, sending me head over heels to slide in front of yet another man I didn't recognize. This man wore a massive sword on his back and was looking down at me stoically.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" I shot myself backwards into the sky just as said sword slammed into the ground where my head had been moments before, "Who the hell are you guys!?"

"The remaining three points of the pentagram aside from Lord Astrious," the weedy man was joined by the stoic warrior and the guy whom had probably been the guy who threw the fireball. He was averagely built, but his hair was literally flames. I gaped at the sight, but shook my head and regained my composure. I had seen weirder.

"And now magelet." the fiery haired man spoke up with a gravely tone that made it sound like his lungs were fried, "You shall finally die and be out of our hair. Lord Astrious is sick of your meddling."

"I don't know if I'd want to be in your hair," I quipped with a nervous grin, "Might be kinda painful."

The man twitched and threw a massive fireball I quickly dived out of the way of. Yikes. Then suddenly the fire curved back around and smashed into my back sending my crashing into the ground with a yelp. I groaned for a moment in the small crater my body had created

"Hoo boy." I pushed myself to my knees, warily watching the trio approaching me, "Here's to hoping Saito and Louise get here soon. I think I could use the back up."

I pushed myself all the way to my feet and began slowly backing away, "_Oh joy the undead are getting back up. I'm gonna assume that slimy guy is the one controlling them. Flamey's gimmick must be fire. I guess the stoic is really strong? I'll keep my eye especially on him. Nice of them to reveal themselves already. Saves me the trouble of having to go out of my way to find them."_

"So." I asked cheerfully, "Do I get to know the names of my killers that are going to fail?"

I dodged another fireball, but this time made sure to douse it with water magic before it could make a return trip.

"Ooooooh testy." I grinned and watched as the flame-haired man's hair grew even bigger and hotter looking, "You look like you could use some anger management lessons."

"Can we just kill him already?" the man grumbled at his two companions who seemed content to watch

"Nah I'm kinda enjoying watching you get insulted." the stoic man spoke up with a firm controlled tone, "If he tries to go anywhere we'll step in."

"Awfully confident aren't you." I juggled water balls, trying to stall for time. Even I knew that even with my magic boost I wasn't invincible, "Sure you don't want to watch me juggle and then go back to being nice people?"

This time the fiery-haired man openly gaped at me and his hair went back to is normal state. He and I stared at each other as I cheerfully juggled the water balls with a cheeky grin. Inside I was mentally screaming to Saito to hurry the hell up. I hoped to every god that existed in the many universes that they weren't as confident and powerful as they seemed. It was really unnerving to see people not the least bit intimidated by the amount of magic I'd been throwing around.

"You know." the slimy necromancer spoke up again, "It's a pity you met Matthias first. That council traitor was nothing compared to us. Sure he was an ace at mind magic, but the rest of his abilities were mediocre at best. He was a short stubby point on our pentagram and I'm glad he's gone. Winston. Please cease this miscreant's mocking. It was amusing at first but I grow weary of it."

I almost had my head chopped off then. Only a slight sense of danger, and practically inhuman reflexes on my part prevented it. I ducked under the massive claymore that suddenly appeared in front of me and shot away from the surprisingly agile man with all the speed I could muster. I came to a stop a few meters away, my limbs feeling numb from having so much magic so suddenly shoved into them.

"Quite fast." the giant solemnly noted, "I expected that to end it."

"Hahahaha..." I nervously laughed, "I can see why big guy."

That was when everything went to hell. All I could do was dodge as undead rainbow people (as I had christened them), a giant of a swordsman who definitely wasn't normal, and a pyromaniac with anger issues all tried to turn my body into pieces. When I did get the chance to respond with spells of my own, the big man suddenly appeared in front of them and absorbed them into his body effortlessly. The first time he did it I nearly shit my pants. The second time I wanted to cry. The third time I just sighed in irritation. I hoped Saito would hurry up and arrive. He and the big guy could fight it out with their swords.

I ducked, bobbed, weaved, any kind of dodge you can think of and I was doing it in an effort to just survive. A wizard such as myself could only do that much when one of his opponents was frighteningly fast, strong, and could absorb magic. Then, the tides turned.

Saito came out of the sky from behind me and tackled the giant in the chest with his shoulder. He then flipped back off and landed next to me with a sigh.

"Never seen you in such deep trouble before," Saito grinned at me, "Getting rusty spending so much time with Henrietta?"

I turned red, "Now's not the time. Where's Louise?"

"Right behind us on your griffon." Saito replied, "What do you need her for?"

"She needs to cast dispel right now." I thumbed at the undead, "And she needs to cast it as many times as she can. Otherwise those undead are just gonna keep coming back."

"Er... right." Saito nodded and relayed the words back to the petite pinkette who nodded and took back to the air on Albert, "So what's these guys deal?"

"Extremely powerful fire mage, necromancer, magic absorbing giant," I pointed at them all in turn. The people in question were all staring warily at the new arrival and had yet to come after us after Saito's entrance, "I need YOU to take care of the giant, for obvious reasons."

"Yeah." Saito dropped into a crouch and unsheathed Derflinger, "Ready Derf, Galahad?"

"I'm always ready Partner!" Derf replied enthusiastically, and I gave a quick thumbs up before turning my full attention back to the enemy. I noticed absentmindedly that our runes were glowing again and made a mental note to ask Professor Colbert about it later. The man seemed really knowledgeable and might be able to tell me why exactly this happened. I shrugged and accepted the heightened senses and new-found power surging through my body.

"_Wait a second." _I turned my head to look over a Saito. It felt like his body was generating magic, "_Could it be that our runes allow us to share our power? I did notice Derf light on fire last fight. Whatever, we can experiment later. I need to focus"_

I nodded at Saito and the two of us took off in opposite directions. I headed for the anger management issues mage, and he headed for the strong giant. Despite the odds being far more in our favor, I couldn't help the sense of foreboding that filled me. Not about the fight mind you, but something else was nagging my mind during the fight. I would find out what exactly that feeling was soon enough.

* * *

So story advances. This begins the meat of the 2nd arc out of a supposed 3rd or 4th if my plan works out like it's supposed to. I might even write a sequel someday when this is all said and done. This chapter feels like a return to form for me to be perfectly honest. At least I hope so. It FELT better than the last few things I've written. Let me know I guess.

-Forscythe


	13. Chapter 13

Talking

_Thinking_

Today feels like a review answering in the actual story day. I'll put them all at the end to spare you all and let the story be right here though. Bit late since I went on vacation with no laptop. My bad. Also I have a poll thingy up on my profile. It doesn't really involve this story, just future stuff. This author's note is hella choppy. Oh well. It came together in segments. Can't be helped.

I don't own Familiar of Zero.

* * *

Chapter XIII: A Wizard is a Confused Man

* * *

"So!" I ducked under another reformed zombie and sent the flame-haired man spiraling backward with a blast of wind, "I gotta know. What the hell were you three thinking coming out and attacking so openly?"

"None of your damn business." the flame-haired man replied heatedly, "We already explained ourselves."

"Ah but see this is the thing." I began swirling water around my body, "I don't believe you for a second. Also would a name hurt? I'm getting sick of referring to you as flame-haired dummy in my head."

"Pyraeus." the man ground out, his hair flaring higher with each syllable. "You can believe whatever you want trash. It won't change my answer."

"Right-o." my cocky grin disappeared and my entire face turned serious, "Let's get this done with then. So before I end this fight, I gotta ask, why overspecialize in fire magic?"

"Why the hell do you care?" the man growled.

"Because it just doesn't seem fair..." I shook my head and began gathering magic, "...That I can just do this! Great Typhoon!"

I pulled a massive amount of water out of the air sent a whirling deluge down on the seemingly helpless fire mage. I gave myself a quick pat on the back and turned to face the necromancer who was still desperately trying to revive zombies as Louise dispelled them over and over. It was kinda pitiful to watch. I almost felt sorry for the poor fellow. I stepped forward to deal with him once and for all, when a sudden blast of heat caused me to frantically flop to the ground. A massive pillar of fire shot where my torso had been moments before. It impacted against the side of the castle wall and melted a deep basin in it before finally disappearing. I rolled over and leapt to my feet. Pyraeus was glaring at me, soggy but very much conscious. So much for my theory that his hair was like Charmander's tail. In retrospect not one of my greatest ideas.

"I was really hoping when I put out that tiki torch on your head you'd be out of my hair." I sighed with a mocking grin and a shrug of my shoulders, "Guess it's just not that easy."

"Bastard." the man was literally and figuratively steaming, "Don't mock my hair!"

"I'll mock what I want." I narrowed my eyes, "But you lot interrupted a very nice breakfast, and I'm kinda getting bored of this already."

In the corner of my eye I could see Saito and the Stoic man exchanging blows. They appeared to be mostly equal.

"_Glad to see someone gets to have a little challenge..." _I scratched the back of my head and looked over at Pyraeus who was fuming at my lack of attention to him, "Oh calm down, I'll be with you in a second hot head."

I turned back to see if Saito needed any help a second time, but a sudden bestial growl caused me to swirl around in a slight panic. My jaw dropped. Pyraeus was gone. In his place was a massive red dragon, completely different from any of the dragons here in Tristain. This thing was the size of a large house. It let out a massive roar, sending bits of dribble into my face. I wiped it off in disgust and sighed.

"I had to open my big mouth." I grumbled forming a water spear in my hand, "Well I got what I wanted. I wonder if I can even slay a dragon?"

White flames tinged with blue around the edges erupted from the beast's mouth, forcing me to shoot myself into the air to dodge. The dragon followed me closely, forcing me to keep up the improvised flying spell. I dodged and weaved for a few moments, before managing to maneuver myself right over its nostril. I hardened my entire body and sent myself slamming into the dragon's nose, swiftly shoving its mouth shut. I yanked a spear of stone out of the ground, reinforced it to be like diamond, and shoved it into the top of the dragon's mouth, sealing it shut and slamming it down into the ground.

"Beeeeeee-have." I crouched in front of his enraged eyes, "I told you I'd be with you in a second.

The dragon tried to swipe at me with its front leg, but I jumped back and avoided it. I formed another few diamond spears and pinned all of his limbs to the ground. I shook my head and began casting the long chant to seal a person's magic. I was almost finished, when a cry from Saito sent me ducking to the ground midway through the spell. It was a good thing too, Winston's sword was so close it almost gave me a haircut. I rolled across the ground and looked up just in time to see Saito tackling Winston to the ground. While not deadly, Winston had distracted me. Pyraeus-Dragon was free and glaring at me. Somehow all his wounds were already sealing up.

"_Dragons must heal fast." I_ scrambled to the side, just narrowly avoiding getting torched. Those flames looked hot, and I wasn't in the mood to test my wards against them. Unfortunately the flames did light my coat on fire as it flittered outside my wards, forcing me to shed it before it lit my entire body on fire. My eye twitched as my new coat turned to ashes.

"Oh you are asking for it now." I muttered angrily, "I just got that coat I'll have you know!"

"Enough." before either of us could do anything. the necromancer walked between me and Pyraeus, "We're leaving Pyraeus."

"Wait what." I stammered, my anger forgotten, "What do you mean enough? Weren't you here to kill me or something?"

The necromancer ignored me completely and walked back to Pyraeus, whom had just morphed back into a human. Winston soon joined them, looking winded but no worse looking than he did at the start.

"Man that guy was tough." I turned my head to see Saito panting next to me, covered in dirt and a bit of caked blood, "I don't know about you, but I'm glad they're leaving us alone for now."

"I guess." I watched the trio disappear in a blue light warily, "I just want to know what exactly they were doing here."

"Your guess is as good as mine." Saito flopped down on the ground, "Any thoughts Derf?"

"Maybe they were a distraction partner?" Derflinger responded, "Something they didn't want you and Galahad to interfere with?"

"Exactly what I was thinking Derf." I offered a hand to Saito, which he took, and pulled him to his feet, "Let's go back to the castle and see if Henrietta has any news. Albert!"

The griffon slammed down next to me and let Louise off his back. The girl wobbled a little bit and then flopped down next to Saito ungracefully. I tried to stifle a laugh, but failed. She glared up at me, but seemed content to lean into Saito's shoulder for the moment.

"Tell your griffon not to perform such acrobatics next time," the girl mumbled, "I almost threw up."

"Uh right." I scratched the back of my head, "He was only trying to protect you you know."

"I don't care." she mumbled into Saito's shoulder, "He should be more considerate of me next time."

I shrugged tiredly and turned back to the castle. To my surprise, Agnes was hurriedly running towards me. Her next words chilled me to the bone.

"The academy has been completely burned down as well as the surrounding villages! Reports say it was a single man!"

* * *

I walked among the survivors, clenching and unclenching my fists. There was no doubt in my mind that Astrious had done this. But why? I squatted in an isolated corner and stuck my thinking cap on. Why attack innocent teenagers and villagers? I briefly toyed with the idea that he was just crazy before throwing that thought out. He planned this out extremely well. Played me like a fiddle. Maybe he wanted to provoke me? I wondered why he'd want to do that. I was coming after him regardless, why piss me off? I sighed deeply and looked up at the cloudy blue sky, pondering my next move. I felt like my thoughts were moving in useless circles, and I was getting nowhere in my investigation. I wasn't able to fathom as to why Astrious would target an innocent school of children. I couldn't believe he was simply that crazy

"Looks like its going to rain." I heard Henrietta next to me, before she primly sat down in the grass next to me, "Even the gods are mourning the occasion it feels."

"Yeah." I rubbed my temples tiredly, "Not to sound selfish, but at least Saito's friends are okay."

"Yes." Henrietta nodded her agreement and we both fell silent. I turned to my own thoughts, which were still going at a hundred miles an hour. I threw half my brain to ponder the point of Astrious' ultimate plans and turned the other half to other thoughts. More depressing ones.

"Henrietta?" I finally spoke, my voice wavering slightly.

"Yes?" the girl replied softly

"Should I be feeling guilty?" I absent-mindedly traced random doodles in the sky, "I feel like I could've done more."

"You did all you could." Henrietta patted me on the arm comfortingly, "You had no way of knowing that they were a distraction. Even if you did, who's to say that you could've defeated them fast enough to go and help."

"I know. I know. I jus-" I shook my head, "You know...my master used to call me a damned fool when I had the same conversation with him. He always told me that my stubbornly heroic streak was going to get me killed one day. He always told me I couldn't save everyone. My response was always to tell him he has dead wrong. Guess he's right. Like he always was."

"He's not right." Henrietta replied, "I think you should always try your hardest to save everyone. If you don't put 100% effort into something, what's the point?"

"Heh." I grinned broadly, "Thanks for that. On a completely somewhat related topic, I actually used to lift cats out of trees with my wind magic in broad daylight."

Henrietta giggled, "I can imagine a younger you doing that. Did you still wear a coat back then?"

"Yeah. It was oversized though, so it always dragged on the ground." I replied sending Henrietta into another fit of giggles, "Kids used to laugh at me in school. I ignored them though. I give as many damns about other people's opinions of me than as I do now. Eventually they all just left me alone. I preferred it that way to be honest. Everything I would've used in a conversation with friends had to do with magic."

"So you didn't have any friends back home?"

"You and Saito were probably my first real ones." I replied softly, "Not too many wizarding apprentices really get taken on these days. The bloodline is starting to die out. It was too hard and I was too preoccupied with other things to really have the time to make friends outside...my world."

"Right." Henrietta nodded. We both fell silent after her reply, having nothing really left to say to each other. The silence probably would've continued for quite some time had a certain pinkette not come up and slapped me full on in the face. I blinked, not entirely sure how to feel about it. I wasn't even sure what I had done to deserve it until Louise spoke up.

"It's all your fault!" she said, her voice cracking and tears falling down her face. "Everything's gone to Brimir knows what since you dropped in on Halkegenia!"

The girl stared at me once more for a few brief moments, before rushing off deep inside the castle, tears still streaming down her delicate face. I stared after her; one of the few times in life I was truly speechless. I felt hot tears slowly trickling down my cheeks. I wasn't even sure why they were there.

"It's not your fault you know." Henrietta reached up and patted me on the arm, "And Louise doesn't believe that either. She's just upset and frustrated."

I sighed deeply, "Well like it or not, my world has caused yours a whole mess of problems. Louise isn't entirely wrong. I'm gonna go talk to her."

"Be understanding and gentle." Henrietta looked up at me, "She'll respond better if you treat her like a sister."

"Aren't I always understanding and gentle?" I replied back with a cocky grin, receiving a slap and a blunt 'No' from Henrietta as my reward.

I sighed and headed off deep into the castle where Louise had run off to. While this wasn't on the top of my list of things I had wanted to do, I wasn't about to leave a girl running off crying. Especially since I was the source of the problem, rightly or wrongly. It didn't end up actually taking me that long. Louise had not run far from the entrance. She was just inside, sobbing softly and curled up against a wall.

"Hey." I squatted down next to her and spoke softly, "I'm not mad if you're worried about that."

"Why would I be worried about the wrath of a mere commoner..." Louise sniffed, "Even one so powerful as you. A Valliere needs not fear you despite your above average abilities."

"Right." I rolled my eyes and told myself to just be patient and try to not get angry at the girl. After all if Saito and Henrietta loved her so much, I figured I could get along with her eventually, "Look. I understand where you're getting your reasoning for blaming everything on me. I just want you to know I'm here to help and that's it. Get angry at Astrious and the rest of 'em. Or hell you can stay angry at me for all I care. You wouldn't be the first person I pissed off."

I stood to my feet and affectionately mussed her hair, eliciting a growl of irritation from the girl. I did noticed as I left though, that she made no attempt to flatten down her hair. I stifled the chuckle, but a grin leaked onto my sober face as I greeted the sunlight with squinted eyes.

"You know." I stretched, "Despite everything that's been happening, I feel like everything's gonna go up from here."

Oh how wrong I was.

* * *

**TeninChwang**: From the sounds of your review you won't be back, but I'll answer here again. I acknowledge that 10 and 11 had some pretty bad dialogue choices and explanations. I'd really like to go back and make myself clearer one of these days. Appreciate the feedback nonetheless. To be honest I'm not sure how serious your review was with how much you seem to hate Louise and Saito. What are you doing in this archive in the first place? Congrats on being my first true flame though. You did a good job.

**Starburst98**: Thanks for your constant support. Seriously. Also all those ideas you throw at me. Those are nice.

**Nivek Beldo:** Thank you a lot for the long review. You addressed a lot of the stuff I've been thinking about, especially the dialogue as of late. I agree that my action scenes do need to be a bit meatier and less quickly drawn to a close.

**Malix2:** You along with mattblue have sent me those constant reviews that contribute to a lot my motivation. Thanks.

**Mattblue**: Thanks as always for your words of encouragement.

**EmperorPalmecia:** Er yeah sorry about that. Kinda is contradicting information. Let's just blame it on Galahad being cranky I suppose. I might just go change the wording up a tad.

* * *

Anyways, Galahad returns to his snarky humorous form in this chapter a little bit. I missed that facet of his personality. Oh and I finally finalized the plot. It was sorta rough before, but I know exactly where I'm going now and what happens in between. I had an idea, and my brain fought back and forth between it and my original plan. One won over the other. This chapter is weird. It's super detailed compared to old ones but only medium length. Meh.

-Forscythe


	14. Chapter 14

Talking

_Thinking_

See how many Doctor Who references you can spot. There are plenty. Some subtle, some not so much. Please excuse them. I've watched a lot of it lately. Besides, Galahad is a bit based off the Doctor himself anyways. I dunno if anyone's recognized that or not. Then again, I've no clue how many people watch Doctor Who and Familiar of Zero. I'm probably a very small minority. Oh and if I didn't thank you in a pm for reviewing, thanks.

I don't own Familiar of Zero.

* * *

Chapter XIV: A Wizard Uses His Brain

* * *

"So the entire academy is gone completely?" I stroked my chin thoughtfully, "Not just simply destroyed with the occasional ruined building?"

"That's what the new eyewitnesses in my musket brigade are reporting," Agnes replied, "We had thought before that it had only been ransacked and somewhat torn down. The students were all too traumatized to tell us any different."

"Any bodies?"

"None at all." Agnes nodded, before slamming her hand down on the table, "Just how powerful of a mage are we dealing with here?"

"What, you think he vaporized the entire academy?" Agnes nodded in response, so I quickly refuted her, "No, there's something else going on here. No one blasts an entire magic academy off the map and doesn't leave a single trace. Too much work and time."

"So what then?" Agnes gave me an exasperated look, clearly at her wit's end.

"Moved, transported, vanished, whatever verb you want to use." I shrugged, "Point is the academy is likely just in another place, most likely with all the students still alive inside it. The REAL question is, what does Astrious need a bunch of stone buildings and mages for."

"Well-"

"He probably only needs the mages," I began pacing back and forth, now fully in my detective mode. It had been a long time since the last time I really got to do that, "But for what. What does he need such a large source of magic for? He's got plenty just inside his own body. Unless..."

"Unless?" Saito raised an eyebrow. He, Julio, Louise, Agnes, and Henrietta were all in the room with me. Henrietta had called us (calling us her most trusted people or something along those lines) to discuss what Tristain was going to do next.

"He needs magic from THIS world." I slammed my fist into my open palm, "That has to be it!"

"So you know what his plan is?" Julio grinned.

"Nooooope." I leaned back against the wall, arms swinging back and forth.

Everyone face-faulted.

"Have you grown more deranged the longer we've know you!?" Agnes asked with an angry look on her face. I could almost see the steam coming out of her ears.

"You think I'm deranged?" I feigned mock hurt, "You wound me so!"

Henrietta giggled a bit, but quickly stopped herself with a cough, "Please Galahad. We need to try to be serious about this situation. Countless of my people are in danger."

"I AM being serious." I sighed and took a seat at one of the wooden chairs scattered about the room, "Cracking jokes actually helps me think."

"..." Agnes let out a frustrated sigh and leaned up against a wall with her eyes closed. I could clearly see one of her eyebrows twitching in fury.

"No really. I have a plan now." I gave a thumbs up, "I need to know if there are any other known Void users in Halkegenia."

"Hmm..." Julio stroked his chin. I looked up at him hopefully. After a few brief moments he finally responded, "The Pope might know. It wouldn't hurt to ask him. Why do you need to know?"

"Well." I raised a finger, "Let's examine the facts shall we? Fact number one, Astrious and his crew are impersonating someone, likely someone very important. Fact number two, Henrietta could do normal magic before becoming a void mage. Obviously somehow someone else's power got passed onto her. This leads me into my third and final fact. Well more of a theory, but still. A void mage must have died, so the power had to find a new host. For one reason or another it decided to pick our dear Queen. Thus putting all this together, I figure that whoever Astrious is impersonating has to be a past void user. So we figure out who it is, find out where he lives, and then go and stop Astrious. And hopefully... everyone lives!"

Everyone blinked at me. I bounced up and down on either feet with a slight grin on my face. The grin was slowly fading though, because no one was responding to my brilliant deductions. At least I THOUGHT they were brilliant. No one appreciated good detective work around here apparently.

"Right." Julio coughed, bringing everyone back down to earth. Or Halkegenia rather, "If you'll give me permission Queen Henrietta, I will leave at once for Romalia."

"You have my blessing." Henrietta nodded, "Agnes please show Julio out."

"At once your highness." Agnes bowed and beckoned for Julio to follow her out of the room. Once they were gone I could hold it in no longer, and grinned broadly

"Fantastic!" I exclaimed, drawing a few weird looks. I was in my element and completely ignored them. I hadn't solved a case in weeks, much less even really had one, and it felt good to get back into the business.

"Any more ideas in that head of yours?" Saito came up to me and tapped me on the side of the head, "Or do we just wait for Julio?"

"Well as sad as it is, we just have to wait. I don't have any other information to form any other theories. Julio's basically holding my entire plan together. If the Pope doesn't know of any other void mages we're out of luck."

"Right."

"So anything fun to do around here?" I stretched, "I know our dear Queen could use something to cheer up her day."

"Galahad that's no-" I placed my hand over Henrietta's mouth and shook my finger

"Now now master." I said jokingly, "You and I both know you need a break. So I'm gonna ask again, since I know Louise and Saito would probably like some alone time. What do you want to do?"

I ducked under an infuriated Louise's fist and patiently waited for Henrietta's reply. I didn't have to wait long, which was lucky, because Louise's angry blows were getting harder and harder to dodge.

"A-actually..." the girl mumbled, tapping her fingers together shyly, "I'd like to go into town and eat at a few street-stands and maybe visit some of the sights. I'd like to just act as a commoner for a day or two...is that weird?"

"Nah. We can do that." I grinned, "I've been meaning to go there myself...but well I haven't had much free time. Too busy fighting evil mages and getting stuck in hell dimensions. Tomorrow then?"

"Yes." Henrietta nodded enthusiastically.

_'Wonder if I can call this a date?'_ I pondered as I followed the trio out of the room, '_Nah...'_

* * *

Henrietta met me just outside the castle in a very simple dress. Over her head and shoulders was her usual brown hood to obscure her face from anyone recognizing her. I guess it worked or she would've stopped using it.

"We're walking then?" I raised an eyebrow, noticing the distinct lack of a carriage or horses

"Yes. I thought it would be nice to walk through the country-side. Tristain is very nice this time of year."

This really sounded like a date now. I shook my head, ridding it of any such thoughts. I was to treat Henrietta as a friend. None of that other business my unconscious wanted to do.

_'Oh dammit now my mind IS thinking about that kind of stuff.'_ I facepalmed and tried my best to shove all the things that I did not want to associate with the girl. Things like kissing, hugging, well you know the rest.

"I think I prefer when people are constantly trying to kill me..." I mumbled to myself, "My mind has something else to focus on then."

"That's awfully depressing," Henrietta was suddenly in front of me, peering up at my face. Apparently I had mumbled a tad loudly, "Where's your usual smile? It's a beautiful day."

As if to prove her point, Henrietta began twirling happily through the grass field next to the dirt road. She was giggling in happiness the whole while. I wondered if she knew this was making my mood worse. To see her so happy made me want to just take her in my arms and never let go.

_'Hopeless romanticizing again Galahad?' _ I sighed deeply and tried to look as happy as possible, _'Whatever. Gotta let Henrietta enjoy herself as much as possible. She needs it more than I do.,'_

I put my best mask on and followed after the joyful girl, determined to do everything I could to make her happy, even if it tore my heart to pieces.

* * *

"An inn?" I scratched my chin and continued to look at the sign, "You sure this is where you want to eat?"

"Yup." Henrietta replied, vigorously nodding her head up and down. Her mood had not dimmed since we left, "The owner, Louise, Saito, and I are actually good friends. I actually arranged for the two of them to meet us here."

"Well alright." Truth be told I was going to be glad to have Saito to talk to. He and I had become fast friends the last few weeks, and I just felt awkward around Henrietta that day. The entire day had felt far too much like a date, and I was just ready to be around someone else.

I pushed open the door and let Henrietta go in first. I followed right behind her and was immediately greeted by mouth-watering smells and waitresses clad in very revealing and skin tight maid outfits.

_'I take back anything I said before.'_ I whistled softly to myself, _'This place seems nice. Not entirely sure why Louise would bring Saito here since she hates him looking at other women. I'm sure the girl has her reasons though.'_

Henrietta and I both approached the table where Saito and Louise were sitting, the latter grinning widely for some reason. Saito must have done something today. I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted to know what he did to make her so happy.

_'Oh what the hell I'll ask anyways," _I grabbed Saito's shoulder while the two girls were happily wrapped up in their own conversation. I then whispered into his ear

"What's the deal with Louise? I've never seen the girl this happy. I mean granted, I haven't had much time to get to know her...but still."

Saito immediately froze up and turned a bright, bright red. He then mumbled something I couldn't quite make out. I mentally sweat-dropped and turned away with a wry grin on my face. It probably was something along those lines. Well good for them I guess.

_'Of course Saito could be blushing over something as simple as a kiss I suppose,'_ I took a long, satisfying drink of the ale I had ordered, '_Ahhh... they just don't make alcohol like this back home. Plus I don't have to trick the staff into thinking I'm twenty-one here. The perks of living in a medieval dimension. Which reminds me. I REALLY need to get back in contact with Saito's father. My job's been slipping my mind the last few weeks. Too bad my communication device got stolen during that whole arrest debacle. I've gotta start working on a new penguin, and some potions. And maybe a new bag of holding. It sucks being so ill equipped.'_

"-alahad?"

"Yeah?" I cracked an eye open, my drink halfway to my mouth. All three of my Tristain friends were staring at me.

"We've sort of been trying to talk to for a minute or two." Saito shook his head with a small grin playing on his lips, "They're ready to take our order."

"Er right." I looked up and too my left to see a pretty young woman with a notepad. Weirdly enough she wasn't in the same revealing outfit as the rest of the waitresses. Not to say she wasn't still showing quite a bit of her breasts though.

_'Now that I think of it, she doesn't exactly need to wear the same outfit as the other waitresses. She's already far more attractive.' _I raised an eyebrow at the irritated look I was receiving, "I'll just have whatever's best. I'm not picky."

"Right." the girl frowned at me even deeper and left with a huff. I swore at the time that I could see an evil glint in her eye.

"Should I be worried?" I turned to my friends, "I feel worried."

"You should." Saito took a sip of water, "Jessica's devious. You'd like her if you got to know her. The first time we were here she figured out who Louise was in the first few hours we were here."

"She's a clever girl then huh?" I stroked my chin thoughtfully, "Wonder if she'd play chess with me if I asked."

"I-I'd play chess with you!" Henrietta suddenly burst out, and then immediately turned red upon doing so. I stared at her for a few moments, blinking. I wondered what her deal was to suddenly burst out with that.

"R-right. _Does she really like chess or something?_" I took another sip of my ale, "Maybe when we get back."

Henrietta mumbled something in response, but seemed to want to hide her face deeply in her hood for some reason. I shrugged and moved back to studying the place. It certainly had nice atmosphere. Warm, clean, and nice smelling went a long way to make a place nice feeling. I felt right at home.

Well up till that strange man appeared. No not strange as in mysterious. Well maybe a tad mysterious. It was a mystery to me how he had Jessica as his child. I was pretty sure it was a mystery to my companions as well.

"Hello dears~" I felt a slight chill run up my spine as a muscular man in an absurdly tight pink leotard approached. He was half dancing, half walking, and had an absurd amount of chest hair that did not go with the pink leotard at all.

"Who's that?" I whispered urgently to Saito as the man got closer, "Is this normal!?"

"That's Scarron. Believe it or not he's Jessica's father and the owner of this inn." Saito replied back, obviously amused at my reaction.

"You've got to be kidding." I replied stonily, "There is no way in hell that girl's father looks like this."

"It's the truth."

"Ah you must be the one my daughter told me about~" Scarron wrapped his arm around me and pulled me far too close to his chest hair. I could almost feel it tickling me.

"Whatever she told you it isn't true!" I struggled in his grip. Scarron was ridiculously strong, "I can promise you that!"

"You mean you don't want to work for me?" Scarron held up one of the maid uniforms, this particular one was a dark blue. I shuddered.

"Absolutely not. For one, if I did I'd have to ditch my trench coat, which under no circumstances will EVER happen of my free will." I finally managed to slip out of the man's grip with a sigh of relief.

"That's what you're most worried about?" Louise raised one regal eyebrow, "Losing that stupid coat?"

"Excuse me?" I gasped, "I will have you know that this coat is NOT in fact stupid. Trench. Coats. Are. Cool."

"Right." Louise went back to sipping her tea and began ignoring me.

"Also, GET OFF ME!" I struggled in the man's hold until he finally let go with a feminine pout. I just tried to wipe my mind clean of that particular image and move on in life. It didn't work. I cursed my mind for being able to retain certain things so well. Mostly traumatizing things and my own failures now that I thought about it.

'_Wonder if that's a common thing among people. I should ask sometime.'_

I shrugged to myself and put myself on full alert. I DID not need that strange man hugging me again.

The table enjoyed a strange awkward silence after Scarron slowly walked away from us with that feminine pout on his face. He was one weird man. Luckily Jessica soon arrived with the food, ending the silence.

"Here you go." She said cheerfully and set down all the food. Mine was...interesting. It was a steamed fish head by the looks of it.

"Tell me." I cleared my throat and looked down at the fish head with apprehension, "What exactly did I do to make you so upset? I apologize for whatever it was. Oh and one last thing. Sending your father after me? Well played."

"First." She poked me in the forehead, "You ignored me for a full minute. Next you checked me out immediately after opening your eyes, and didn't even order. Instead you gave me so lame ass 'I'll have whatever's best'"

"Are you normally this rude to customers?" I pushed her soft hand out of the way, and tried my best to scowl. It didn't really work out though. The quirk of her lip in amusement and the light shining in her eyes basically melted my anger.

"Only to ones that are friends of friends." She shrugged, "I figured you'd take it all right."

"Does that mean I get something to eat that doesn't look at me?" I asked hopefully.

"Nope."

With that, the girl walked away with a smirk. I swore that I could see her hips not so subtly swaying from side to side. I shook my head and turned my face back to look at the fish head. It didn't look any more appetizing than it had at my first look.

'_Troublesome girl.'_

"A-ah..." Henrietta started hesitantly, "You can have some of mine if you want."

I looked over to Henrietta's spot, and my mouth immediately began to water. It looked like chicken and dumplings with maybe a side of green beans. I hadn't had a good mouthful of green beans in what felt like forever. It was my favorite vegetable if cooked correctly. Oh well. I was taught to sleep in the bed you make.

"Thanks, but this is what I've got so I'm fine with it." I grinned half-heartedly, "I've eaten a lot grosser things before. I think I'll spare everyone those stories though."

"A-alright."

'_Henrietta sure is acting weird today.'_ I joined in with Saito in telling a story from back home. That night was some of the most fun I had had in a long time.

* * *

Well it took a bit, but the words finally started flowing. There's going to be one-two downtime chapters while the gang waits for Julio to return. Glorious time for me to write whatever the hell I want. Why didn't I do this sooner? Oh and make what you will of this chapter. I ain't spilling anything.

-Forscythe


	15. Chapter 15

sTalking

_Thinking_

Eh the first half of this chapter was annoying to write. I gotta stop putting myself out of my comfort zone so much (maybe that's a good thing? Probably not though.) Blame it/writer's block, and not the steam sale for my absence. On a completely different note, I got a review like a week or so back, did not expect one a month after publishing. Thanks to him and the rest of you readers reviewing favoriting, etc. It's about time I publish something for this story :p

I really don't own Familiar of Zero.

* * *

Chapter XV: In Which Galahad Doesn't Understand Girls

* * *

In my eyes Henrietta was acting very weird. I wasn't kidding either. She was acting skiddish as hell, and seemed to always want to grab my attention when I was talking to other girls. If she hadn't already told me she didn't love me those few weeks ago, I would've thought she was jealous of them.

"Okay what gives?" I sighed in exasperation a few minutes after it happened again, "I've just been trying to hold a conversation all day, but if I even step near a girl you've gone off."

The girl mumbled an apology and shrunk further back into her hood

"Seriously." I grabbed her by the shoulders, and flipped off her hood so she had to look me in the face. It always helped to look someone in the eyes while trying to get something out of them. I learned that much from my old job, "_Wonder if people still stop by my office. I should really go back to Earth sometime and close up shop. _What's going on? You can tell me. At least I think you can. Not entirely sure what it is that is bugging me, but I'm pretty sure you can tell me."

"Well..." Henrietta sat down on the bed in our shared room. I was on the floor of my own choice. I didn't want to inconvenience the staff, and I certainly couldn't let Henrietta sleep there. That would go against several of my principles.

Henrietta kept beginning sentences over and over, and then not getting past the first word. After a while, I sighed and told her that she didn't have to tell me if she didn't want too. I could tell whatever it was had her horribly conflicted. I rubbed my temples wearily and went to lay down in my humble little bed I had crafted with spare blankets and pillows. Unfortunately sleep wasn't going to come.

I felt a pair of warm slim arms wrap around me from behind. Soft hair tickled the sides of my neck as presumably Henrietta pulled herself tighter to me.

"Something bugging you after all?"

"Please..."

"Hmm?"

"Just let me lay like this. Let me be selfish."

"Alright." I closed my eyes and tried to go to sleep. Not the easiest thing to do when there's a pair of breasts and a warm body pressing up against you. Even worse being that sad body was shaking and sobbing softly. For once in my seventeen year old life I decided to just be quiet and let what would happen, happen. Henrietta probably just wanted to be left alone anyways. I was probably just playing the role of a giant fleshy teddy bear.

_'I guess I can be her personal teddy bear just this once. I told Saito I'd do anything, not matter how much it hurts.'_

"Galahad..."

_'Guess I'm not sleeping._ Yeah?"

"The royal court is pressuring me to end our contract and for me to never see you again."

I can't say I didn't see that one coming. It was only a matter of time before some stuck up noble thought I was subhuman. I saw the same thing in the many monarchical dimensions my master took me to. Nobles were almost all the same.

"I'm not really surprised." I whispered back, "Is that what you've been fidgety about all day?"

"Partly." I felt her readjust herself behind me, "I just don't want to lose one of the few close friends I have left."

"Makes sense." I replied, "Don't worry. If they try anything I'll stop them. That's my duty as a familiar right? To protect your wishes and keep you safe?"

I felt the girl stiffen behind me.

"Please Galahad. Stop referring to yourself as my familiar. First and foremost you are my friend, not some creature I want to bend to my will. That's one thing I wish you'd follow Saito's example on."

"That's probably because Saito's master actually returns his feelings." I replied without even thinking, "That's probably why he doesn't have any issues."

Henrietta flinched behind me and fell silent. I immediately felt terrible about coming out and saying that. It was way out of line. I hadn't really meant to say it, it just... happened.

"Sorry. I shouldn't say stuff like that." I sighed and rubbed my hands through my hair, "Just ignore me if I spout off stuff like that. I...I need to go outside."

I sighed deeply and extracted myself from Henrietta's hold. I pushed myself to my feet, grabbed my coat, and walked towards the balcony door. The cool breeze felt good on my face as I slipped outside.

_'Ugghhh.' _I rubbed my temples and tried to get rid of the rapidly forming migraine.

"Galahad?"

I looked over to the balcony adjacent to mine and saw Saito standing there with a sheepish expression

"Louise kick you out?" I raised an eyebrow

Saito sagged and just nodded his head. I chuckled a little, my friend's misfortune making me feel a tiny bit better. At least I wasn't the only one with girl issues.

"What'd you do?"

"Why do you automatically assume it was my fault?" Saito frowned, but I just raised my other eyebrow in response, "Ok fine. I got a little too bold so she kicked me out."

"Thought so." I grinned faintly and looked up at the stars, "Life's funny Saito."

"Hmm?" Saito replied

"One minute you're just an average magical detective and the next you end up being the familiar to a princess, and tasked to try to save a world from a madman. Not to mention if I step foot back on earth I'll have hundreds of wizards after my head." I hopped onto the railing and took a seat, "You just never know what life's going to chuck at you."

"True."

I sighed deeply and looked up at the stars again. It was always weird arriving in a new world and not recognizing any of the constellations. It used to be one of my favorite hobbies when I was younger to gaze up at the stars and wonder what sort of creatures could live in the universe. My master showed me just how many could exist.

'_Master... If you didn't think I was a criminal, would you be proud of me? Of the choices I've made?' _

"Galahad?"

"Yeah Saito?"

"Keep your chin up. My dad always used to speak of greener pastures if you persevered long enough."

"Speaking of your dad." I face-palmed, "We REALLY need to get back to him when everything is taken care of over here. He's probably worried sick, AND thinks I'm horrible at my job. We can't have either of those."

"Yeah." Saito chuckled briefly, and we both lapsed back into silence. After a while, a blushing Louise came out and dragged him back in by the ear. I supposed that she felt some mercy, or actually wanted him to do whatever it was he had started after all. I tried not to think about that particular thought, but as usual my mind had a mind of its own. Stupid thing never listened to me.

"Yuck." I finally forced my thoughts far enough down to where I could ignore them. The next few seconds also helped with that. In the corner of my eye I spotted a hooded figure dashing down the streets. Behind him/her was a group of angry-looking men. It didn't take much thinking to see who the bad guy was in that situation.

'_Oh you picked the wrong night to chase some innocent person.'_ I cracked my knuckles, '_A little bit of playing vigilante is just what I need right now.'_

I jumped off the balcony, using a weak wind spell to soften my landing, and took off down the streets after the mob. Luckily it didn't take too long to catch up with my magically enhanced speed. Especially lucky since they had trapped the person they were chasing in a back alley. I waited a few moments before deciding to make my appearance. I wanted to show off a little, as well as vent.

I sent myself rocketing over the mob, and landed in a crouch in-between the mob and the cloaked person. I still couldn't tell in the dim light if it was a male or a female. The mob suddenly quieted at my appearance, completely surprised at my arrival.

"Sup?" I brushed off my trench coat and stood to my full height, "How are you gentleman getting along tonight?"

It didn't take long for one brave soul to respond.

"Get out-of-the-way stranger!" one of the men spat at me, "We need to be rid of the demon before it does anything to us civilized folk."

'_Demon?'_ I raised an eyebrow and took one look back at the shivering figure in the cloak, '_Doubtful. Knowing medieval societies, this person is probably just disfigured in some way, and is being persecuted as a result. _You don't looked very civilized to me, chasing down some poor person in the middle of the night."

"Get out-of-the-way boy." the same man took a threatening step forward. His own courage slowly giving his buddies some as well, "This elf should know better than to show her face around here."

'_Elf? They have elves here? Oh man I've never met an elf before' _I grinned widely for a moment, "So what... you're going to rape her and then kill her? What exactly do you lot have against elves anyways?"

"You must have been living under a rock your entire life boy." the man scoffed, and it was then I noticed the slight slur in his voice. He was probably drunk. "Everyone knows that elves nearly wiped out the human race thousands of years ago."

"And? Even if it was unprovoked, which I HIGHLY doubt, this girl isn't responsible for any of that."

The man's vein pulsed and he rushed me in a drunken rage. I raised one eyebrow and easily sidestepped him before shoving my foot in his back. He tumbled head over heels into one of the alleyway's walls. I turned back to face the rest of the crowd, summoning a ball of fire in my hands

"Any other takers?" I secretly hoped more would try. I needed a good venting. No one did. Probably because I had pulled out the fire. I should have left my magic a secret. The mob dispersed, grumbling angrily.

I sighed and turned to the girl, who was staring up at me through her hooded cloak.

"Do you have a home to go back to?"

"Yes." she replied quietly, "But it is very far from here. I was staying at an inn in this town, when someone bumped me and revealed my ears."

"Right..." I sighed and scratched my head, "Well I guess you can come stay in my room until tomorrow. I can't just abandon you on the streets."

The girl suddenly slammed into my chest and began hugging me tightly. The quickness of her hug threw her hood off, revealing long blonde hair and a beautiful face. She thanked me so many times, that I probably would've blushed from just that. However, the affectionate nature of the hug, as well as the massive assets pressing up against me did that on their own. No thanking needed.

"Y-you're welcome." I tried desperately not to do the one thing a man should not do when getting hugged tightly, '_Think about waterfalls, think about waterfalls.'_

She let go after a minute or so, and stared up at me with a beaming smile. I coughed and looked anywhere but at her.

"This way ma'am." I grabbed her by the hand and began leading her back to the inn, praying to myself that Henrietta wouldn't make a fuss like she had when I even looked at girls today. I wanted the poor girl to feel welcome, especially with the shit she probably had to put up with on a daily basis if someone saw her ears. No one should have to be hated just because they were born a certain way. I knew that pain first hand.

"Hold it you bastard."

'_Oh lord did one of them grow balls.' _I turned to face the voice and shoved the girl behind me. I recognized the man from the crowd earlier, but I hadn't noticed his fine clothes before. Maybe he had been obscured under a cloak, or had been in the back of the mob.

"Gonna guess you're a noble from your clothes." I sighed deeply and readied myself for a short ass-kicking, "This is a bad idea you know. Especially since you're trying to attack your Highness' familiar."

"You're Queen Henrietta's familiar?" the man faltered for a moment, "Nice try commoner. You may have intimidated those peasants with your show of fake magic, but I know better."

"Your funeral." I shrugged, "Step back ma'am."

"Time to show you your place!" the man shot a stream of fire at me.

It was almost pitiful when his magic just smashed against my wards and faded away. I raised one eyebrow as the man did it over and over till he collapsed panting. I heard a quiet 'wow' whispered from the girl behind me. It wasn't that impressive in my opinion. The guy was probably only a line class mage, if even that. Back in my world he would've probably still have been in training.

"I-Impossible." the man gasped, "Someone as dirty and common as you couldn't possibly be the Queen's familiar."

"So I've been told." I replied lazily and crouched down to his eye level, "I'm feeling nice, so I'm gonna let you go. But I better not hear from you again alright?"

"Y-yes."

"Good." I gave him a good kick in the rump and walked back over to the girl, "Let's go. I'd like to get inside before more idiots like him show up."

"Okay." She allowed me to take her by the hand again and I led her through the city streets again. We walked in silence for a few minutes, until we reached the inn.

"So." I asked at the door to the inn, "What's your name? I can't keep saying 'hey you' or referring to you as 'girl' in my head forever."

"Tiffania Westwood." she whispered just barely loud enough for me to hear, "If my full name is too much of a mouthful you can call me Tiffa for short."

"Alright then. Tiffa it is." I pulled the door open and waved for her to go inside, "My room is the 5th on the right upstairs. Hopefully my roommate will allow you to share the bed. I don't feel like arguing with her over this."

"Her?" the girl cocked her head, "Oh! Are you here on vacation with your girlfriend."

_'I wish._ Nope just my master. We are here on vacation though. She's been stressed lately."

"Ah, okay." the girl looked strangely happy as she began walking up the stairs, "If you don't mind, I have so many questions to ask you when we get in there!"

"Like?" I began ascending the stairs behind her.

"Well for one," She turned around to look at me, her pointed ears flopping slightly, "Why a noble would help an elf like me."

"I'm no noble." I replied, "Just a wayward commoner wizard that happened to get himself wrapped up in a familiar's contract and a lot of other stuff."

"You're lieing." she stopped at the top of the stairs and glared down at me.

"Honest." I chuckled, "Just a normal guy aside from the fact that I can summon fire whenever I want."

She giggled at that, and replied that she believed me. I opened the door to my room, and beckoned her inside. One should always act like a gentlemen to those that deserve it after all. I walked inside quietly, and noticed that Henrietta was still asleep. Tiffa looked at me questioningly.

"I guess we can just tell her in the morning. I don't have the heart to wake her up." I shrugged, "Hopefully she won't overreact."

* * *

Luckily Henrietta had a fairly tame reaction. She just asked some basic questions, and didn't get upset at all. I hoped that she was over her weird phase from the last few days.

"So you found her being chased by a mob?" Henrietta frowned, "That is truly sad. I wish that people could get over their prejudice over something that happened so long ago."

"So your royal highness," I asked cheekily, "Is it okay if she stays with us until we can find someplace she can live peacefully?"

"Her royal highness?" Tiffa asked confusedly, "This is the queen of Tristain!?"

"Er yeah," I replied, "Didn't you hear me when I told that noble last night that I was her familiar?"

"But but I, you..."

She promptly fainted and collapsed on the bed

I looked to Henrietta and raised one eyebrow.

"Well I guess you could carry her to our carriage." Henrietta softly giggled, "Maybe when she awakes she'll be over the shock."

"Alright." I scooped her up into my arms, "Lead the way. Saito and Louise are probably waiting downstairs already. I told Saito to get us when he got up, but Louise probably stopped him... and Henrietta?"

"Yes?"

"Deeply sorry about last night." I pushed open the door with my foot and left the room with Tiffa in my arms, "It won't happen again."

"So if you're from Albion how did you end up over here anyways?" a few minutes after Tiffa awoke, she told us that she wanted to tell us a little bit about her life if we were going to be traveling together for a while. Apparently her mother was a mistress to some noble in Albion. A classic case from some kind of cliched fantasy story. Anyways, it turned out that Tiffa was only a half elf, and was the noble's and her mother's illegitimate child. After Tiffa's mother had her, the noble expelled both of them from the court quietly, and set them up in a cabin in the forest. That only lasted until Tiffa was a young girl. Her mother got slaughtered by a mob. Tiffa refused to reveal how she survived. I assumed she did some sort of magic, but didn't press the issue.

"Oh..." the girl drooped, "I was found out by a nearby village and they drove me out. I've traveled from place to place ever since. I can't seem to find a safe place where no one will try and persecute me."

To avoid a lot of questions, we took the private compartment of the carriage. Neither Henrietta nor I knew what Louise's response to an elf would be, and we preferred to have Tiffa feel comfortable after her ordeal last night. Louise raised an eyebrow when she saw Tiffa in her cloak and hat, but didn't comment. Some good things did come of Louise's immense respect for Henrietta. When Saito tried to be curious, probably in part because of Tiffa's breasts, he got his foot stepped on and a fierce glare from his master. But back to the conversation at hand.

"That's terrible." Henrietta frowned, "I'm ashamed of them even though they aren't my subjects. Wales would have been disappointed in his people if he was still alive."

"Thanks you." Tiffa bowed her head, "It's so nice to meet such nice people like you two."

'_Lord.' _I mentally sweat-dropped, '_They could be sisters with how similar they act.'_

Henrietta and Tiffa made small talk the entire way back to the palace. Occasionally they'd include me, but it usually wasn't anything more than a one or two-word response on my part. They probably didn't mind. They were having a great time talking to each other. I was surprised at how fast they hit it off. They managed to keep their conversation going all the way until we were in Henrietta's room in the castle. I was forced to simply walk awkwardly next to them. Thankfully Agnes broke the silence when she slammed the door open, out of breath

"Julio is back, and he has good news."

* * *

One of these days all of Galahad's past is going to come up, promise. Also it's going to be...interesting keeping Tiffa's and Henrietta's personalities apart. (they're both kind and gentle, but I guess Henrietta is more aggressive and assertive, while Tiffa tends to be a bit oblivious) They're really similar in my opinion. On one final note, I think you guys are really going to enjoy where the story goes once Galahad and Astrious meet. I've got some interesting plans. (which is another reason I've been a little lacking on update, been so busy planning later parts of the story in my head.). Also Tiffa is adorable in her floppy hat. I'd forgotten. I rewatched season three to refresh myself on Tiffa and Familiar of Zero in general.

-Forscythe


End file.
